Journey to the Crystal Empire
by Kraft58
Summary: Sequel to "Path of a Thief", Blu is tormented as the day of his daughter's wedding draws closer, meanwhile forces from a different world bend the fabrics of time and space out of whack. With 2 worlds converging together, Blu, Jewel, and the mane 6 ponies must unite to save the day
1. Prologue: Return of an Old Enemy

**_Author's Notes_**

_I very recently discovered a love for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and I wanted to do this ever since I saw the season 2 finale. However since most of my followers are fans of RIO, I thought it would be better if I did a cross-over. _

_The plot will take place immediately after "A Canterlot Wedding part 2" in the my little pony universe, and right after "Path of a Thief" in my Rio fan fiction timeline. So my OC's will play some important roles in the plot of this story. _

_I hope you enjoy, please leave your reviews in the review section and not in my inbox _

_thanks in advance._

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_**Prologue**_

**_There is a common theory amongst scientists that there would exist two elements which serve to bring balance to the world. The first is law which provides all the rules of life, the circumstance of one's existence, the constant stream of dimensions in which the universe itself expands upon… the second element is chaos whose only purpose is to maintain structure. These two elements caught in a constant power struggle should never meet, for if they did the very balance of the world would be thrown out of whack. According to theorists should these elements combine, a doorway to other worlds could open, but with such power comes great consequences, so be forewarned, the balance of the elements is a fragile thing, and once distorted it can be next to impossible to restore._**

**_The Chaos Theory_**

**_(Kept in the Royal Canterlot library)_**

Queen Chrysalis landed upon the ground with a sickening thud. Her slick black, almost smooth body skid along the dirt, arching as she came into contact with several sharp jagged rocks and splintering sticks. Large scraps, bruises, and the occasional cut glistened along her body, adding a sense of injury to her already insulted ego. Flapping her insectoid wings, she guided herself to a blinding halt. Her green eyes narrowed as her foul mood began to rise. She couldn't help but think back about the last thing that she could remember.

She grinded her teeth as she recalled her guaranteed victory in Canterlot Castle. The sounds of battle filled the air, the smell of destruction clung to the streets of the city below. She watched the panic stricken faces of the ponies as they retreated from her advancing army of changelings who continued to emerge through the shattered protective shield surrounding the kingdom. In a single conniving move, she had rendered the castle's defences useless. With the captain of Celestia's royal guard under her control, his magic couldn't do a thing to stop them, and thus most of the kingdom had fallen under her control. Stallions, mares, colts, even the youngest child remained fair game so long as they held an ounce of love in their hearts.

Chrysalis chuckled to herself as she recalled the feeling of excitement which filled her during that one moment. The unicorn Twilight Sparkle and her friends could no longer resist her, their attempts at reaching the Elements of Harmony had failed miserably. They too stood as prisoners surrounded by a legion of her followers. She cackled and glanced upwards at Canterlot's once famed ruler Princess Celestia who sat imprisoned in a chrysalis chamber.

Then came something that she would never have expected, in but a single moment her plan began to unravel. The captain of Princess Celestia's royal guard came back to his senses and helped his bride-to-be, the lovely Princess Cadance defeat her. It hadn't been just any power which had placed a nail in her coffin, the power came from true love. The same power which she sought to control. The same power she and her changelings needed to feed upon to gain power. That power stood defiantly against her, and defeated her without any sort of challenge. Within seconds her entire species had been launched across the horizon in every direction with no way of stopping whatever destiny laid before them.

The changeling queen stamped a hoof upon the ground. Her muzzle twisted into a vicious sneer. She could feel the humiliation of having victory snatched from underneath her nose. She wanted to scream but found no sound came out from her distorted wind pipe. Her eyes continued to narrow.

"Those ponies will regret that!" She snarled. "Even if it takes the remainder of my life, my changelings will feed on enough love that we'll become the ultimate species in all of Equestria."

"That can be arranged hahaha."

Chrysalis froze in her tracks at the sound of the rather deep intimidating voice which filled her ears. For the first time she took notice of her surrounding. She stood in the middle of an abandoned stone quarry just off the southern corridor of Equestria. As far as the eye could see, a large terrain of desert stretched onwards and sharp jagged rocks littered the desolate landscape. Chrysalis peered down and eyed a few of the stones, there seemed to be a large collection of them at her hoof. Without wasting a second she bent down and wiped a hoof across the smooth stone. Her eyes widened as a face came into view. The rocks which dug into her back as she landed was in fact a statue of some weird dragon creature with the head of a pony and body parts made of different creatures.

"Great," she rolled her eyes. "The rocks are talking to me now."

"Oh no my dear" the deep voice echoed in her ears again. "I am far from a mere pile of rock. The name is Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, and I have a score to settle. If you get my back, I'll get yours."

Cruel laughter filled the air, sending a sharp chill down Chrysalis' back. Despite everything she'd been through, she still found it hard to believe that a disembodied voice could communicate with her, let alone have it be a spirit of chaos and disharmony. She rolled her eyes, and nodded her head.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter as long as I get what I want in the end."

"Very good," The voice chuckled. "Here is what I want you to do."


	2. Chapter 1: Blu's Decision

_**Author's Notes:**_

I apologize for the relatively short chapter today, but I am setting up everything for the overall story being told. I think once the plot unfolds you will enjoy what I have got in store for you guys.

Please read and review.

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_**Chapter 1:**_

The bright summer sun began to rise upon the horizon bringing in dawn's first light through the misty fog banks which covered the whole of Rio de Janeiro. As far as the eye could see the fog began to lift, encouraged by the warmth and humidity's sudden arrival. Within those few moments of solitude, the full majesty of the city came to its full glory. The tropical lush greenery blended with the stone grey buildings, and everything became painted a bright orange as it reflected the light coming over the mountainous landscape of Brazil.

Rico the bird thief landed at the base of the Christ the Redeemer Statue. Standing in silence, he spread his wings and shook the stiffness from his body. After his long flight from the hollow, he moaned as his talons made their first contact with the solid ground. His muscles creaked and ached, his body trembled under the sheer fatigue which consumed him. He hadn't been fully awake yet when he left to be by himself, though he now regretted his decision on not bothering to stretch properly before performing such a strenuous activity. He panted, but stood strong. His eyes focused on the sunrise, and despite his condition, he allowed himself to smile.

"Today is going to be the day." He told himself. "Today I will gather up all of my courage, and I will ask Blu for his-"

Rico let his voice trail off as he caught sight of some movement with his peripheral vision. From the bright cerulean blur, he could tell almost immediately who it was without bothering to chance a second glance. He closed his eyes and addressed the newcomer with a calm yet determined voice.

"Good morning, Blu."

The nerdy spix macaw nodded his head in acknowledgment to the young macaw's greeting as he stepped into plain sight. He forced a smile upon the end of his beak and stopped at the thief's side. Without saying a single word, he followed Rico's gaze and peered at the rising sun for quite some time. Both birds stood in silence, saying nothing to each other. Rico peered at Blu through his peripheral vision, wishing that he would just end the awkward silence and speak. A thick lump formed in his throat, his beak made a soft clicking noise as it began to tremble in anticipation. Before long, Rico lowered his head and began to speak.

"Blu, may I please ask you a question?" He queried, his voice a nervous whimper.

The spix macaw turned to the thief, his chocolate brown eyes narrowed. His body stood to full height. Despite the fact that he held the personality of a nerd bird and had a socially awkward demeanour about him, he couldn't deny that Blu still cut the image of a rather imposing figure. Blu cocked his head to one side, and shifted his attention back to the sunrise.

"Not right now," Blu muttered. "I want to share something with you. It is a phrase I read about when I lived in Minnesota."

Rico nodded his head and turned his immediate attention towards Blu. He frowned, though his curiosity began to peek at what Blu needed to say to him. He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke.

"What is the phrase?" he asked.

"Are you aware of Chaos Theory?" Blu questioned. "If you never heard of it, I will go over the basics. There are two elements that form everything in the world, including the people we love, and our pre-determined destinies. You could say that these are the building blocks of the universe, and it keeps everything together as it should be."

Rico stood dumbstruck at the news. His eyes widened as he contemplated the meaning behind Blu's words.

"I was not aware of such a thing." Rico admitted. "Why are you telling me this?"  
Blu went bright red in the face and shuffled a sheepish talon across the dirt ground. He lowered his head and thought carefully about the words he needed to say. He couldn't waist an opportunity like this.

"Well I am referring to the pre-determined destiny thing. You told me that you lost your first love Angelina when she was murdered by Marco and his Dark Robe Society members, and you in turn went after them seeking revenge. However instead of finding them you found Rose. Don't you think that maybe destiny was trying to show you a different path… like maybe you and Rose need each other somehow for a greater purpose than either of you know."

Rico nodded his head, even though he still could quite understand where Blu was coming from, he dared to question the bird's logic.

"Maybe," Rico admitted. "I still don't get why you are telling me all of this."

Blu forced a friendly smile and turned to face the bird thief. He placed his wings upon his shoulders and peered into his eyes. Any anger or mistrust didn't seem to be present, in the macaw's chocolate brown eyes, Rico could only see the earnest truth, and the deepest form of sincerity.

"Perhaps you can take better care of her than I can." Blu admitted. "I've never been good around other creatures, so I've never been to proud towards my abilities at being a father. Perhaps I should step aside and just be her parent, so I can teach her and guide her instead of protecting her. Maybe you should be the one to protect her… as her mate."

Rico's jaw dropped as the real meaning of Blu's words struck him in the heart. The bird was giving him permission to wed his daughter. Rico nodded as he thought about the request for some time.

"I'll do it." He agreed. "Thank you Blu."


	3. Chapter 2: Theft of Harmony

_**Chapter 2:**_

_**Theft of Harmony:**_

Eternally serene, the kingdom of Canterlot blossomed in the morning sunlight, despite the critical damage left over from the attack by Chrysalis and her changeling army, life continued on like normal. Guards patrolled the city, their spears poised at the ready to defend any creature who needed their assistance. Mares, colts, and stallions of all gender, species, and age walked along the ruined streets carrying on their daily duties and chores which needed to be done. Most of the city however had been closed off as repairs were carried out, but most ponies just felt happy to be alive on such a beautiful day.

Princess Celestia stood as the current ruler of Equestria. Being a Pegasus Unicorn of few words, her sense of duty and honour were well respected and legendary amongst her subjects. Despite her calm, quiet demeanour, she held a high sense of morals and compassion for all creatures within her kingdom. With a sleek white body, greenish blue hair which waved and changed colour at will, and a cheerful smile upon the end of her face, she brought a sense of familiarity and friendliness even on the darkest of days. Even now as she stood on her balcony overseeing everything happening below, she still dealt with the seriousness of the situation at hand. She peered at her sister, Princess Luna who sat in the shadows of her bedroom chamber.

"Have the guards reported anything?" She asked.

Princess Luna shook her head and lowered her gaze to let out a heartfelt sigh. Celestia always seemed to be paranoid these days, especially with the most recent defeat they had suffered. Chrysalis hadn't just struck a victory off of them, she also managed to shatter their faith in believing in anything based on sight. The changelings had a power never before seen by any race. They could take on any form they desired, and they could easily blend into their surroundings, after all they had easily been able to take the place of Princess Cadance a short time ago, and even worse, Chrysalis was still out there somewhere, biding her time and plotting her next move. Both Pegasus Unicorns knew that they were far from safe. The kingdom stood on the brink of warfare, and the enemy could strike again at any time or place without any prior warning of impending danger.

"No, there's nothing." Luna admitted. "However repairs are almost complete and most of the citizens in Canterlot do not suspect anything. We should probably keep it that way or risk spreading panic."  
Celestia nodded her head. She kept her gaze upon her sister. The dark black Pegasus Unicorn held a valid point, alerting the citizens without any particular reason would only cause fear and chaos amongst the ranks. She let out a sigh and addressed her sister appropriately.

"You are very wise my sister, it has been a thousand years since we needed to form a proper plan like this. I fear we may need both of our minds alert and ready to deal with the imposing threat."

"I am not wise," Luna frowned. "I just don't like seeing anyone running away in terror."

Celestia smiled in understanding. She spread her wings and enclosed them around her sister.

"You believe in friendship, therefore you are wise, my sister."

Luna let out a defeated sigh, she didn't want to argue with her older sister. She turned her attention towards the rising sun, a sight she hadn't seen in over a thousand years.

"Perhaps we should alert Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They've never let us down before… who knows maybe if we decree such a thing they can come up with some sort of strategy."

Celestia's face twisted as she contemplated the suggestion for a moment or two. Before she could nod, a guard burst into the room.

"Your majesty, I apologise for the interruption but we've got problems."

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The great hall glistened under a buffet of colour as the sun began to rise casting its dim light through the stain glass windows. The stone floor appeared as a pattern of coloured light and reflections of the images the windows portrayed, most noticeably the mane six ponies as they defeated the villains Nightmare Moon and Discord. Now they stood as an eternal reminder to the power of friendship. Despite that, a lone figure paid no notice to them. To the eyes of a changeling queen, friendship stood as a ridiculous sentiment.  
Disguised as a guard, she worked her way towards the Canterlot vault's main entrance, her eyes focused on her task. Inside that one door at the end of the hallway rested the Elements of Harmony – a group of ancient talismans whose power could never be officially measured or known to any creature. Their powers remained that of legend, Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, and Magic, each one held limitless possibilities, and each one kept Discord in his prison of stone. They needed to be dealt with if her plan was to succeed.

The Changeling queen let out a wicked cackle and teleported herself to the vault's entrance. She peered around and allowed herself to assume the form of Princess Celestia. With a single movement she inserted her oversized horn into the single keyhole and twisted it until she heard a soft click.

"Yes," she smiled. "That was almost too easy. Now to release Discord and spread chaos across the entire world, revenge will be all mine hahaha!"

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# # #

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Celestia stared at the guard who stood before her, she couldn't place her mind around the words he said, though she knew full well that she had heard him clearly. She paced across the room, her eyes shifting through different emotions trying to make sense of the situation at hand. Her sister, Luna, followed suit. Her mouth hung open as the dark mare tried to find the words to address her loyal subject.

"What do you mean we've got problems?" Luna asked.

"Yes," Celestia nodded her head. "It doesn't make sense. Everything is quiet, there is no activity in the city at all. How can we possibly have any sort of problem? The Changelings would have attacked if they had gained access to the city."

"Someone has broken into the vault." The guard explained himself further. "They took the Elements of Harmony. We have patrols out searching, but they seem to have vanished without a trace."

Celestia closed her eyes and walked out onto the balcony. Her mane blew in the soft breeze. Her white coat glistened in the sunlight. Despite her outwardly appearance, a sense of dread built up in her heart. She could feel a sense of danger lurking upon the horizon.

"Luna," she began to speak in a calm voice. "Write a letter to Twilight Sparkle. Have her come to Canterlot immediately. She must assist us in finding the Elements of Harmony before they fall into the wrong hands."


	4. Chapter 3: Destroyed Reality

_**Author's Notes:**_

Hey sorry it took a while, this chapter is pretty long so it took a while to write with my busy schedule this week. I have begun unveiling the plot of the story, everything is going to come together in the next 3 to 4 chapters.

The song in this chapter is the "Failure Success song" from My Little Pony Season 3 which is set to premier November 10th 2012, all credit goes to Hasbro.

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_**Chapter 3:**_

**_Destroyed Reality_**

Chrysalis stuck to the shadows. Keeping silent, she melded her body into the thick blackness of the moonless night. Her eyes scanned the many different alleyways, and remained cautious to avoid any contact or notice from the guards patrolling the kingdom in full force. She knew that they looked for her, but she would never let them catch her. Her insectoid wings buzzed as she jumped along an alley and landed next to another wall on the opposite side from where she had been a few mere moments before.

"This is almost too easy," she chuckled to herself in a hoarse but cruel whisper. She immediately fell silent and continued back on her way. It would be suicide to stay in any place too long, and she couldn't allow the guards any extra advantages to receiving their precious Elements of Harmony back. Her eyes fell to the box she kept in her possession, inside her precious bounty remained protected. True she didn't really know what Discord was planning with them, but as long as he remained willing to help her with her revenge, she would remain loyal to the mixed and matched dragon like creature.

With a speedy movement, Chrysalis ducked around a corner and noted her position. She now stood within the kingdom's statue garden where several different granite ornaments stood in decorative fashion. The changeling queen allowed herself a quick chuckle and raised her hoofs in victory. She made it out of the city. No guard could stop her now, for the garden rested outside of the city limits, and no one would dare search this area, it was too vast with too many hiding places. As far as anyone knew she could hide within the labyrinth and there would be a low chance of capture should she run and hide in the hedge maze.

"Good you made it,"

Chrysalis froze in her tracks at the sound of a voice ringing in her ears. She recognised it almost immediately. Her eyes narrowed as she dropped the chest and peered around at her surroundings. Each one of the statues held a different meaning, but her eyes focused only on one in particular, one she recognised from the desert, the statue of the dragon-a-chis named Discord. With a hefty kick she launched the chest towards the granite monument and let her smile widen.

"You certainly get around for a block of cement." She teased. "Just how did you get here exactly?"

The dragon-a-chis statue did not respond. Her eyes turned as she caught the sight of movement to her right. She turned immediately and prepared to defend herself from the newcomer. With each passing moment her breathing hardened, her eyes narrowed in anticipation. There wasn't the familiar sense of any immediate danger of Celestia's royal guard, instead the hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end. She felt an unwelcoming sense of unbridled hatred, anger, destruction, and evil flowing from this individual. She watched him step out of the shadows, a strange black robed figure with his face hidden from sight.

"I brought him here," the figure said in a flat emotionless tone. "I can see some value in him, he can become so much more than just the mischievous spirit of disharmony and chaos… he can be a key to other worlds."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and blew a strand of hair from her eyes. She peered at the statue with disbelief at the strange words.

"You're kidding? You're kidding right?" Chrysalis frowned. "He is just a block of cement that happens to talk. He holds no value to anyone except as an oversized paperweight."

The robed creature shook his head and laughed eerily for a few moments, a cold chill swept down the changeling queen's spine as she thought about what cruel thoughts fed through his mind. His laughter rang out like that of a demon's from the fiery pit of hell, or that of a cruel entity far worse than anything she had ever encountered in her travels. Chrysalis could feel him watching her despite the fact that he kept any discernable feature hidden from sight. She swallowed a large lump in her throat and watched as he opened the box and dumped the elements to the ground. The cutie mark resembling jewellery clattered to the ground and lay abandoned for a brief moment. The robed creature bent down and wiped a wing across the faces of the precious jewels. They darkened and became black in colour.

"Good, everything is going exactly as I have planned." The creature said. "The Elements of Harmony are no more, in their place there shall be disharmony. Laughter shall become hatred, generosity becomes greed, kindness becomes cruelty, one by one they shall become the polar opposites of their true potential and their powers will be all mine to control…"

As the last element changed black they released a tainted light which focused upon the dragon-a-chiss statue. Stone became flesh and blood once again, and Discord became free from his imprisonment. The spirit of disharmony and chaos cracked his neck and stretched the stiffness out of his limbs before addressing either of the creatures before him.

"Why hello Chrissy, I don't believe we've met before." Discord giggled. He appeared behind the robed creature and nudged him with his elbow. "And you, what is with the robe? Nightmare Night is still a long time off yet, perhaps you would like me to speed up time and spread my chaos throughout the world, hmmm hmmm?"

The robed creature shook his head and raised up a robed limb. The Elements of Disharmony followed suit levitating off the ground. He eyed each of them for a moment and formed a wicked smile, his eyes began to glow like wildfire.

"Spirits of Disharmony, Hatred, Lying, Greed, Cruelty, Selfishness, and Disbelief, create for me images of the past, those who once called me master… let two worlds combine and unravel like thread. I command thee, show me what I desire, and there shall never again be a shred of decency again!"

The robed creature raised his voice adding more enthusiasm into his speech with each repeat of the chant. The Elements of Disharmony began to glow, forming shadowy apparitions of six robed creatures, each one of them looked like cruel sadistic animals, all of which she had never seen before in her life.

"What's going on? Who are these clowns?" Chrysalis demanded, "I don't have time for your little magic tricks. I have a plot to unwind and a race to feed so if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving."

The robed creature held up a robed limb and barred any further access to an escape route for the changeling queen. Discord wrapped a large arm around her shoulder and formed a sly smile.

"Patience Chrissy, where's your sense of fun and excitement. There's some beautiful chaos to reap."

"Listen carefully you two." The robed creature began. "These are the members of the Dark Robed Society. Each one held unlimited potential and they longed to achieve the power that only I could grant them… the powers of a deity."

Chrysalis's eyes widened as the robed figure added some emphasis on the word deity. She peered at the ground and shuffled a sheepish hoof upon the ground. Despite all of her senses, she still couldn't quite believe everything happening around her. She had somehow stepped into something far bigger than just some petty revenge scheme. This would be her chance to power the changelings up to their true potential without putting in a lot of effort. She formed a wicked smile at the thought, this plan would benefit everyone involved, except for the victims of course.

"If they're so great, how come I've never heard of them before?" Chrysalis asked.

The robed figure folded his robed limbs and changed the image of the apparitions to four sparkling blue macaws. He cackled and explained himself a little bit further.

"Because they're from a different dimension than ours, they once lived in a place called Rio de Janeiro on a little planet called Earth. These four macaws are the ones who dealt with them, they used the power of their friendships to overwhelm and destroy the Dark Robed Society… it is your job to see that they are lured back to Equestria, so I can personally deal with them myself. Do this and you will have all of the power you could ever dream of."

"And just how are we supposed to get to Earth?" she queried. "Your plan doesn't sound like it could work."

The robed figure pointed a robed limb towards the dragon-a-chiss. His eyes continued to glow like wildfire.

"He holds the power of chaos, I hold the power of law. When you mix the two you get a little thing called chaos theory, this theory allows us to open doorways to other worlds. You will use that doorway to your advantage and get those macaws back here for their ultimate defeat… oh and you may use any means necessary but I want them alive."

Chrysalis allowed herself a brief chuckle. She turned to Discord and slammed a hoof upon the ground.

"Well, what are we waiting for, let's get that doorway open."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu paced back and forth throughout the hollow, his eyes fell towards the entryway where outside Rico and Rose sat together talking amongst themselves. He knew that the bird thief would be attempting to make his move, and despite his decision on allowing them to be together, he still felt conflicted and torn between his sense as a protective father and doing what was right for his daughter's happiness. His beak trembled as he weighed both pros and cons against what he'd done in allowing the bird thief to become his daughter's mate, though deep down he only wanted his daughter to be happy even if it was with him.

Jewel watched him from the far corner of the room. Her cerulean body glistened in the moonlight which filtered throughout the hollow. She cocked her head to one side and formed a sly smile. In the few years she'd known Blu, she could never recall a time that he remained this much on edge, or remained this nervous. Despite her best attempts at reading his reactions, whatever seemed to be bothering him remained a complete mystery to her.

"Will you just relax?" She frowned. "You're acting like the world is about to end. Whatever is bothering you will be just fine, I promise."

Blu turned his attention to Jewel, he let out a deep sigh and seated himself next to her. His eyes filled with conflict as he fought the urge to eavesdrop on the conversation his daughter and Rico were having. He needed to know what the chemistry was between the two of them. Did he make the right decision on letting them be together? He couldn't stand not knowing all the answers, especially when he once prided himself on his knowledge.

"I don't know if it will be" Blu explained. "Did I make the right decision allowing them to be together?"

Jewel's eyes widened, taken aback by her mate's sudden revelation towards her. She peered down at the ground, her sapphire eyes narrowed as she examined the words in her mind. After a few moments she nodded her head and kissed Blu on the end of his cheek.

"Yes, you did." She smiled. "They would have followed their own path whether you liked it or not. At least this way they know you care about their happiness"

"I'm going to miss her when she's off starting her own life." Blu frowned. His words rang out with a great sorrow.

Jewel hugged Blu tighter, tucking her head into his neck. She listened to the sound of his breathing, and the sound of his heartbeat. Despite his depression and conflict, there seemed to be a sense of soothing energy about the way he breathed. She closed her eyes and became lost in the moment.

"You're a good father," she cooed.

The two birds separated when they heard the sound of a pair of talons landing within the hollow. Jewel opened her eyes and peered in the direction of the newcomers who both held cheerful smiles on the end of their beaks. Rose ran over to her father and hugged him tight.

"Rico just asked me to be his mate," she grinned. "And I accepted."

"Yeah," Rico grinned.

Blu sighed and peered at his wife who held an almost permanent smile upon the end of her face, he shifted his attention towards his remaining children, the two boys Buster and Kinski, and their youngest daughter Jade. The young macaws watched the display with their wings folded, rather unimpressed by the romantic display. Jade's beak twisted into a disgusted snarl.

"Yuck," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "Why does every bird around here have to get mushy?"

The boys laughed and fell to the ground, kicking and screaming at the young chick's antics.

"Because hahahaha, they're hahahahaha just trying to lighten the mood hahahaha." Buster explained between stifled laughter.

"Yeah," Kinski agreed, "Haven't you noticed dad's eyes, they're full of conflict. He doesn't know what to think."

Buster and Jade peered at their brother.

"Oh right and that comes from the nerd-bird." Jade frowned.

"Hey," Kinski snorted. "Some of the best birds I know are nerd birds."

"Oh yeah, name one." Buster spouted.

"Dad," Kinski replied with an arrogant smile, he struck the winning blow since neither of his siblings could deny the truth of that fact. Their father during his life in Minnesota had been a nerd bird, and Kinski simply showed a similar trait. In a way he and his father shared a lot of similar traits, some of which were yet to be discovered by anyone.

"So how soon do you want the wedding?" Rico asked Rose who stood to her full height, though filled to the brim with excitement.

"As soon as possible." Rose smiled cheerfully. "I've dreamed of this day since I was small."

"We can do it this afternoon." Blu explained. "We'll just go to the spot where your mom and I were married. That way we don't need to prepare anything, we'll just let nature do its thing."

Rose and Rico looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good to us." Rose replied.

Jewel nudged Blu with her wing, her smile deepened as she peered into her mate's chocolate brown eyes.

"You have just done a wonderful thing." She cooed, wrapping her wings around him.

"Yeah," Blu nodded, "But I have my reasons for making it today… the sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can stop thinking about it, I really don't want to regret my decision on allowing them to be happy."

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* * *

Despite her young age, Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn of good sense, responsibility, and magical essence. Having been trained by Princess Celestia since a young age, her magic continued to grow with each and every passing day, so when the letter from the Princess arrived, Twilight found the need to return to Canterlot almost immediately.

She peered back at her dragon Spike who followed in hot pursuit. He panted and held a paw across his puffy chest, the bright of his eyes shined as he took in the sites of the familiar city he once lived in.

"Come on Twilight," he panted. "C-C-Can't we rest for a couple of minutes. I mean the Princess didn't exactly say we needed to come right this second."

Twilight shook her head and pulled out the note with her magic. She skimmed her eyes across the lettering and nodded her head.

"You're right, but it doesn't say that we shouldn't come right away. All it says is that we need to come as soon as possible. I am the Princess's student, and I will therefore live up to that responsibility."

Spike's frown deepened and he held up a single talon.

"B-B-But Twilight, what would the Princess need to see you about? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it's some sort of test." Twilight replied. "I have been learning a lot of new abilities lately, or maybe its another new enemy, after all we've already defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, and even managed to stop an invasion of changelings… who else could be out there? Our friendship with the others is what has saved Equestria numerous times."

Twilight stopped in her tracks and peered back at Spike who still struggled to catch his breath. She smiled at him and closed her eyes.

"Why don't you sit down for a little while? I'll go and see Princess Celestia and will meet you there after."

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# # #

* * *

Twilight burst into Canterlot Castle's great hall where Celestia awaited her arrival. The princess's eyes widened but she quickly bowed her head in respect towards her star student. Her face reflected a grim picture of loss and regret, her voice rang out in an uncertainty that Twilight never before saw in her mentor.

"Twilight, my faithful student it is good that you have come."

Twilight bowed her head and addressed her mentor with a look of puzzlement. She couldn't believe the Princess's reaction towards her, or of whatever seemed to be bothering her. Even with the battle against Discord, she held at least some sense of calm and took command in the bleak situation, now she just seemed scared and restless like she could be ready to start a war at any moment.

"Princess Celestia, what's wrong? Are you okay? I mean I was shocked to have received a letter from you, should I still continue my study on the magic of friendship? Tell me?"

Princess Celestia held up a hoof in order to silence the young unicorn. She opened her eyes and addressed the situation at hand.

"Yes, I'm always eager to hear about the lessons you have learned when it comes to friendship, but we have a grave matter to discuss. Someone has stolen the Elements of Harmony. I fear that whoever is responsible will learn how to use their powers for evil. If that should happen, we would be dealing with a great disaster."

Twilight's jaw dropped at the news, her blood began to boil as she thought about all the damage the elements could do. In a single blast they had defeated Nightmare Moon purifying the evil within her and restoring her into a younger version of Princess Luna. They were even strong enough to transform Discord into stone not once but twice. She shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of such a devastating magical power.

"Stolen?" Twilight echoed, "B-But how?"

Before Princess Celestia could respond, Luna burst into the room, her head hung low, her eyes remained closed. She seemed to be equally in despair as what her sister was. She stepped forward and stopped at Twilight Sparkle's side.

"Sister, thou has some more problems to deal with." Luna explained in her royal Canterlot voice. "Thy Crystal Kingdom has appeared on the edge of Equestria. Thou has also received word from Prince Shining Armour who says that the sudden appearance of the kingdom has caused Cadance to become sick… the loss of her powers are near."

Twilight's jaw dropped again, ever since the wedding between her brother and Princess Cadance, she had always imagined them living happily. Now the truth of the situation became known, Princess Cadance was sick, and she stood on the verge of losing her powers.

"Twilight, my faithful student, the timing of these events can not be circumstantial. I hereby request that you and your friends travel to the Crystal Kingdom. I am certain that by doing this you will find the thief that stole the Elements of Harmony. You must return them to us, and of course if you learn anything on friendship through your adventure you should inform me the way you always have."

Twilight bowed her head in respect.

"I will do as you say Princess. You can count on me."

Celestia nodded her head.

"Good luck my little pony, the fate of our world hangs upon your hooves."

* * *

# # #

* * *

The sun held high upon the horizon as the afternoon set in. With a pleasant warmth, a clear blue sky, and a slight breeze to offer some relief from the tropical humidity, the clearing just off the edge of Rio de Janeiro came alive with activity. Blu sat with Rico who continued to clean himself off for the big occasion. Both macaws eyed the gathering crowd of well wishers, some of whom the older blue macaw recognised from his previous adventures. Luiz, Rafael, Nico, Pedro, all showed up to offer their best wishes to the loving couple. Despite the occasional smile or greeting, both macaws sat in silence, neither of them giving any attention to the other, lest they happen to get involved in an argument and cause a rift between each other. Blu stared at Rico, his eyes full of conflict, he felt helpless to stop anything had so foolishly set into motion.

Jewel wandered on the far side of the clearing bringing anything her daughter might need for the occasion. The feisty female stopped in her tracks and studied her daughter for a few moments, tears worked their way into her eyes. Rose definitely looked beautiful. Her cerulean feathers shined in the sunlight like little specks of diamonds, a lone rose (which had been given to her by her father) garnished her head in a decorative fashion. The young macaw bowed her head and closed her eyes, hugging her mother tight.

"I'm so proud of you." Jewel cooed. "You look so grown up, it felt like yesterday that I found out I was carrying eggs, and now you're going off to start your own life, with new adventures to face and challenges to overcome."

Rose shed a few tears down the sides of her cheeks. She whimpered for a couple of minutes, not from sorrow or grief, but from the kind words her mother so openly shared with her in private. She hadn't ever really seen this side of her mother before, though she did hear several stories of the occasion, especially from her father.

"Thank you mom," Rose smiled.

"Now let's get out there," Jewel said, "You don't want to keep him waiting."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight stepped out of the great hall and spotted Spike who waited for her. His back slouched against a nearby building, his eyes focused upon her as she came into sight. She couldn't tell if he knew on whether or not she was troubled by the reveal of the circumstances, or of her mission to save the Elements of Harmony and the Crystal Kingdom. She simply knew that he didn't look shocked by her expression.

"Twilight how did you do?" he asked. "Did you get a A plus?"

Twilight didn't answer, she hung her head low and continued on her way. Spike skipped beside her, catching up to her with relative ease.

"B minus?"

Twilight hung her head lower, this time Spike got the message. He gasped and raised both paws to his muzzle. His eyes filled with shock as realisation hit him square on. He found himself questioning her on what he thought to be the truth.

"Twilight, did you fail?"

Twilight kept on walking, her head bowed low. She peered around the city and noted the many different types of ponies whose lives would begin to unravel if she failed to do anything to change the course of fate. Whoever had stolen the Elements of Harmony hadn't just struck them another humiliating defeat, but now held the source to the ultimate source of magic Ponyville ever discovered. Twilight's voice rang out as she began to sing a song, her heart began to break with each and every word she sang aloud.

"I was prepared to do my best

Thought I could handle any test

For I could do so many tricks

But I wasn't prepared for this.

Levetation would have been a breeze

Facts and figures I recite with ease  
I could ace a quiz on friendship's bliss

But I wasn't prepared for this."

Twilight ran to the edge of the parapets and stared out at the vast countryside of Equestria. The sun still remained high in the sky, though the horizon began to glow a soft red which usually accompanied a summer evening. She continued to sing, though this time accompanied by Spike who felt the need to add his own personal touch to the lyrics.

"Will I fail or will I pass, I can't be sure (She can't be sure)

My skills are sharp, my brains intact, my heart is pure.  
Oh I have taken my share of licks  
I've made it through the thin and thick

But no I wasn't (no she wasn't)

No I wasn't (no she wasn't)  
No I wasn't prepared for this!"

The last few notes of Twilight's song died away on the breeze. She continued walking, feeling a little better though still slightly intimidated by the large challenge lying ahead. Celestia depended on her, but that wouldn't help matters if she couldn't manage to complete the task.

Spike followed her, skipping as he tried to keep up with his friend. His green scales and purplish skin impacted Twilight as she came to a sudden stop outside of the train station. He held up a single claw and asked the only question her could think of at that moment.

"Um Twilight, prepared for what exactly?"

Twilight turned to him, her frown never turned into a smile. She stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

"I'll tell you later," she replied. "For now, I think it would be best if I just did some thinking, and tried to figure everything out."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Delicate music worked its way through the air as Rose began her descent down the aisle. At the end where the makeshift alter stood, her father Blu, her soon to be mate Rico, and Rafael the toucan stood together in a group. Each one held a smile on their faces, though she could tell that her father still remained conflicted with his decision. She smiled and came to a stop at the end where she accepted Rico's outstretched wing.

Rafael bowed his head low and began to address the crowd of creatures in the audience.

"Friends, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Rico, a bird from the northern boundaries of Rio, and Rose, daughter of Blu the hero who saved us from the Dark Robed Society. Love is a mysterious thing, it is neither selfish nor does it work in ways that you can understand, it happens when the time is right, not because you wish it to happen. That is why when it does happen, we celebrate it, we honour it, we cherish it, and we unite the two birds who are touched by it. Rose and Rico, you have been touched by a power that you can never understand, in a few moments I am going to ask you about your commitment, it is an time old tradition that you reveal to us the reasons why you are allowing yourselves to be united together… but first I must ask, if there is any reason why these two should not be bonded together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

The sky darkened blocking out the light of the sun. Rico peered up at the sky and found his eyes widening at the sight. Pink clouds formed overhead, they shot through the sky like bullets. His jaw dropped at the sight. He had never seen such a monumental sight before in all of his life. He peered at Blu and frowned.

"What is that stuff?" he asked.

The spix's macaw shrugged his wings, growing equally as confused as the bird thief. He couldn't explain the phenomenon happening right before his own eyes. The pink puffy clouds fused together unleashing large brown and thick rain droplets. Both birds stared with their mouths hung open at the sight. The crowd of creatures began to scatter, their horrified squawks filled the air.

"It looks like cotton candy… but that should be impossible." Blu gasped. "Cotton candy can't fly through the sky."

Blu's eyes shifted to the far side of the clearing as he caught sight of movement coming from the trees, his eyes widened further at what he saw next. These weren't creatures that he had ever seen before, these were big black insectoid creatures, their glowing green eyes shined like wildfire, their jagged sharp vampire fangs glistened. They hissed as they drew closer. Their eyes filled with evil menacing thoughts.

"Ah, Blu," Rico began. "Would you care to explain what is going on around here?"

"I wish I could," Blu admitted. "But I'm just as confused as you are."

Jewel fluttered to her mate's side and held up her wings ready to defend herself. The remaining macaws all followed suit. They stared down the strange black creatures with all of their might, none of the birds showed any sign of backing down. Their beaks clicked together as they waited for the creatures to make the first move.

"Let's go, you don't look so tough." Blu exclaimed. "At least I hope you don't, its kind of hard to tell with the vampire teeth, and the glowing eyes"

Before any creature could make a move, lightning pierced the ground. All eyes turned towards the city, the macaws couldn't believe what they were seeing. Rio itself appeared to be crumbling into the ocean. The Redeemer statue rose out of the ground with a huge chunk of land floating in the sky. It hung defying gravity.

"We've got to get out of here." Blu yelled. "Every bird fly for their lives"


	5. Chapter 4: The End of the World

_**Chapter 4:**_

_**The End of the World!**_

Blu panted as he flapped his wings as fast as possible. Through his sheer terror at the destruction happening around him, he took a chance and peered backwards at the rapidly shrinking ground below. The cracks continued to grow wider, spreading across much of the surrounding area. Large chunks of dirt gave way falling into the fiery abyss of molten rock which now flooded the surface. From his vantage point in the sky, much of the forest looked like a big boiling pot of tomato sauce, and it continued to worsen with each passing second. He could see that some of the strange insectoid creatures hadn't made it. They gave off a deafening screech as they fell to their certain doom. The rest of the hostile creatures continued to give chase, the buzzing of their wings filled the air, though the occasional explosion drowned them out.

Blu shifted his attention back to the task at hand. He knew where he needed to go. Some sixth sense told him that he needed to get to the city of Rio, and find Linda. Jewel and the chicks would be able to take care of themselves for the time being, but the humans would be sitting ducks. Without the ability to fly, nor the knowledge of seeing these weird insectoid creatures, they wouldn't know what would be happening. With the destruction of the jungle on all sides, he wouldn't let the same thing happen to the city where his best friend lived.

"I'm coming Linda." Blu said, his eyes narrowing as he became more focused on his self appointed mission. "I will save you, then return back to make sure that Jewel and the chicks are okay."

After a couple of moments, Blu stared straight into the heart of the city. His eyes widened as he took in the massive damage striking the buildings. The ground still continued to shake weakening the foundations. The bricks creaked and moaned in their struggle to keep the buildings together. The glass windows trembled and began to crack under the pressure of the earthquakes. Several signs and street lights toppled to the ground in an explosion of sparks and wires. They fizzled for a couple of minutes, before the lights flickered one final time and died off.

Blu swallowed a lump in his throat as he watched the humans run for their lives. The horrified screams and mass chaos in the streets filled him with a sense of hopelessness and despair, should Linda have been foolish enough to become a part of the mob, she would have lessened her chances of survival. He scanned the crowd of people, he couldn't make heads or tails on who they were, all he knew was that Linda couldn't be seen.

"Hey, Blu!"

Blu stopped in midflight and turned his attention towards the sound of the voice. Nico, Pedro, and Rafael hovered at his side, their fear imprinted upon their faces as the stopped in front of him. Their eyes filled with tears, their beaks trembled as they fought to control their emotions. Panicking wouldn't help any of them right now, they needed to keep calm and figure out some sort of plan.

"I can't talk now," Blu responded. "I need to find Linda."

"Find Linda?" Rafael repeated, "Aye corumba, moi amigo. You can't find someone whose lost in that crowd. You need to get yourself to safety first. When the earthquakes pass and people calm down, we'll return and find her."

Blu's eyes hardened as his frustration grew. He shot the toucan a venom filled look which expressed his pent up anger.

"They're not going to subside!" Blu demanded. "All of this is created by some sort of weird creature. We met a few hundred of them back at the clearing. They're these strange black insectoid creatures. They have bug eyes, some weird vampire fangs, and they give off this horrible screeching sound. I don't know what they are, but I know that they're somehow responsible for all of this."

Rafael, Nico, and Pedro looked on confused at Blu's explanation. They peered out at the crumbling city and the destruction of everything they held dear to their hearts. The macaw seemed to be true to his words, it didn't look like anything would stop anytime soon, at least not before the city itself rested in ashes. Rafael let out a defeated sigh.

"What do you suppose we do, Blu?" he asked. "We can't risk injuring ourselves and-"

Before Rafael could finish speaking, Blu arched forward as a sharp pain slammed into his back. He cringed and spun around to see Jewel glaring at him, her talon stretched out in an aggressive manner. She held no sign of emotion on her face other than her unbridled anger towards her mate. Blu held his wings up and began to back away; her voice filled his ears in a way that sent shivers down his spine.

"What the heck are you doing Blu?" She glowered. "You left us to fend for ourselves!"

Blu tried to form an explanation but found it impossible to speak in her presence. He hung his head low, his cheeks blushing a bright red as he continued to fail at his explanation. He knew if Jewel would learn the truth she would forgive him, after all she liked Linda and Tulio, and she too would want to see them safe.

"I-I-I was just uh, um oh dear, I mean I needed to go and…"

"You needed to go and do what Blu?" Jewel interrupted growing more annoyed. "Oh I know you needed to run off and abandon your family in a time where everything is going right to you know where! You needed to put your family in jeopardy to go and do something real important! Do you think you are funny? Running off and leaving us to worry about you? Do you have any idea that those evil monsters took the kids from me and dragged them into some weird bright light, and I have no idea where they are? Tell me what is so important that you left us?"

Blu could feel his heart skip a beat at the news. His kids had been taken prisoner by those fierce insectoid creatures. He turned his attention back towards the jungle and peered at the dense charcoal left over from the fires, the bright red glow seeping from the lava pits, and took in the smell of death which accompanied from everywhere. Any creature left in there wouldn't have a chance. The toxic fumes of smoke would collapse the lungs and cause them to suffocate. He frowned realising his mistake… in wanting to rescue Linda he had placed everyone else at risk.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted to make sure Linda was safe, I thought you and the kids would have been able to catch up to me."

"Instead they now belong to us,"

Blu, Jewel, and the rest of the group froze in their tracks as they heard a cruel hiss break the silence from behind. All eyes focused on a cruel black creature with long strands of teal coloured hair, and a wicked smile. Her green eyes burned like wildfire, her savage grin showed a hint of amusement at all the chaos being created. Her wings flapped as she hovered in place. Her voice rang out in two different out of synch tones which created a slight echo with every word.

"Now now, is that any way to greet the queen of the changelings?" She grinned. "What's the matter? You don't look happy to see me, is it because I just destroyed your precious little home and took possession of your-"

"Where are our kids?!" Jewel demanded. "I demand that you return them to us at once!"

Chrysalis the changeling queen cackled as she contemplated the thought for a single moment.

"I don't think so." She replied. "They are far too valuable to my plans. I needed to ensure your co-operation. I needed to make sure that you would feel your love for them. If you get them back you could very well ruin everything, and I simply can't have that!"

"Where are they?" Blu asked. "Are they safe?"

Chrysalis nodded her head.

"For the moment," she explained. "They've been taken to the caves beneath Canterlot in the world that I come from."

"From the world that you come from?" Nico repeated. "Bird that doesn't make any sense"

Chrysalis continued to chuckle.

"You'll soon see what I am talking about." She sighed. She tilted her head to one side. Blu peered back in time to see a large squadron of insectoid creatures called changelings appear behind them like magic. "Take them to Equestria, there is someone there who wants to meet them."

Blu felt a pair of sharp hooves push him forward. He couldn't stop himself from heading towards some weird bright light. Before long it enveloped him. He watched as the destroyed city of Rio vanished from sight, followed by the arrival of a new land. He turned around and found himself alone. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud. He could feel his stomach twisting, his vision blurred. He gave one final gasp before passing out, left for dead in some weird dimension. Wherever he ended up now would be anyone's guess, all he knew was that he needed to find some answers to the several questions haunting him.


	6. Chapter 5: Transported

_**Chapter 5:**_

_**Transported**_

Blu groaned as he became aware of his surroundings. Through his closed eyes, his mind swam through the empty blackness as he tried to force himself to face the unwelcoming reality of the situation at hand. He could picture the massive destruction still proceeding underway as his home crumbled under the attack by the weird black bugs. They had snatched a victory by stealing his family away from him, though that mostly fell because of his own stupid decision. A sharp sense of grief embraced him as he fought the urge to cry. He wanted to run out and try and find them, he wanted to die for them, the same way he was willing to die for Jewel right before they shared their first kiss so long ago… however he couldn't bring himself to do it. This enemy seemed to possess powers far beyond anything he knew about… it even seemed to make Marco and the Dark Robe Society members look like a gaggle of newborn chicks.

Then he heard it. At first it hadn't been noticeable over the drumming of his heart, or his brain rattling around in his thick skull, but he could not deny that he could hear the sound of breathing of several creatures standing over top of him. He cringed, hoping against all hope that they would lose interest in him and pass by. He stilled his breathing and forced his beak to remain still. He didn't want to give any indication that he remained alert, alive, and waiting to pounce should they become hostile. He recalled his training with Jewel, the way she taught him how to defend himself in the jungle. _Now would certainly be a good time to use it._ He thought to himself.

"D-Do you think he is alive?" A feminine voice whispered through the air in a hushed, slightly uneasy tone. Blu's ears perked up as he scanned it for any sign of hostility, he formed a smile when he realised that this creature, shy as she was, didn't seem to pose any immediate danger to him.

"I reckon so Sugar cube," another voice piped in, this one held a sort of southern flair which brought Blu back to his childhood. He remembered hearing this sort of accent during his vacation with Linda and her family. Back then they had taken a trip to the Wild West - the land of golden plains and cowboys – much to Linda's sheer delight. The voice brought him a sense of peace. He could recognise the familiarity of discipline, the no nonsense though compassionate speech which could only come from someone who was used to hard work.

"Does it matter?" A third voice asked, this one sounded a little deeper though still pretty feminine. "It's just a bird. I could probably fly around the sky and find more in ten seconds flat."

"I-I-It's not like we need too," The timid voice whispered. "Didn't we find two just like this poor little guy just a few miles back? Pinkie Pie has taken them back to Twilight's to get some rest."

"Yeah," The deep voice groaned. "I don't think they'll be doing much resting with her around."

Blu opened his eyes a crack and peered around at the three creatures standing over him. Each one resembled a different coloured pony. The shy timid creature –a yellowish pony with strawberry lemonade coloured hair worn down straight past her eyes- peered at him with her bright moderate cyan eyes. She stood in the middle beside a sky blue pony with wings and rainbow hair tied back in a pony tail, and a orangey brown pony with blonde hair tied into braids with a cowboy hat on her head. The three ponies bowed their heads as they noticed him come awake, they smiled and introduced themselves.  
"Hello there, I-I'm Fluttershy" the yellow pony said a little uneasy. Her voice resembled that of a frightened child, her muzzle kind of trembled with every word she forced herself to say.

The pony wearing the hat stepped forward and clutched Blu's wing with her hoof. She formed a confident smile and let her words run out of her mouth at a quickened pace. Blu found himself needing to strain his ears to hear her correctly, but he found himself managing.

"Please ta meet ya partner, the names Applejack, and I run the ranch just on the other side of Ponyville. Don't forget ta stop in there and buy a few apples if yer ever in the need for some fixing up or breakfast, or whatever it is that you feel the need ta eat, whether morning, noon, or night, we don't judge."

The sky blue Pegasus pony shoved Applejack out of the way and straightened her body in a confident elegant fashion. Her eyes peered at the sky as she spread her wings and let herself hover in place.

"The name is Rainbow Dash," she said. "I'm the best flyer in all of Equestria. You might have heard all about me by now."

Blu shook his head and rose up onto his talons. He peered around at the three ponies a little more than confused. He rubbed his feathers across his body making sure he suffered no serious injury, or that he wasn't under some hallucinogenic drug. He couldn't explain half of what he was seeing. He stood before three ponies roughly his size, but that should have been impossible considering the fact that they were in fact horses.

"Equestria?" He repeated. "How did I happen to get to Equestria? The last thing I remember I was in Rio de Janeiro."

The three ponies peered at each other with a blank expression. They didn't really know how to respond to the bird's strange behaviour.

"Did we just happen to find the bird who was born with a defected brain?" Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy. "I mean who in the world doesn't know what Equestria is? And just what is this Rio de Janeiro he is talking about? This just doesn't make any sense."

Fluttershy held up a hoof and leaned in close to the bird, her voice softened further, her eyes widened as she peered into his.

"I am not exactly sure," she admitted. "I've never met an animal like this before. A bird with blue feathers that isn't a blue jay… I just don't know how to explain it. It shouldn't be possible."

"Either way, we're wasting time just standing here lollygagging." Applejack frowned. "Weren't we supposed to meet Twilight at her place, why don't we just take the bird there and see if we can't figure this predicament out. I'm sure he'd be plummed interested in meeting his friends there as well."

Blu nodded his head.

"You said meeting my friends there? Have you run into them? There are quite a few of us, a full grown female who looks like me, a young macaw with blue feathers with golden wings, there's also three young chicks, a toucan, a canary, and last but not least a red and white cardinal."

Applejack lowered her head and lowered her hat to her neck. Her eyes filled with disappointment at what she needed to say.

"I'm afraid we only ran into the female and the blue and gold bird. We haven't seen any chicks or the other three folks you spoke of, but we'll keep an eye out for them, I promise."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight stared in shock as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy brought forth another blue bird into her presence. Her eyes widened with fright as she tried to make sense of the situation. She paced back and forth throughout her library chamber, she stumbled upon her words as she addressed the bird.

"Oh no no no, this can't be good, this shouldn't be happening. A bird that doesn't belong in Equestria, there has got to be a reasonable explanation for this. But what… think Twilight think."

A bright pink pony danced throughout the room in a random sort of fashion. She giggled and leapt for the world to see. She stopped in front of Twilight and wrapped a hoof around the mare's neck.

"Hiya Twilight, what's with the long frown huh huh? Come on be happy, we have new friends here, isn't that exciting, it means we can have a party, yes, a welcome party. Don't you love parties?"

"It's not that Pinkie," Twilight sighed. "It's just that I don't understand how these birds could have gotten here… um where did you say you were from again?"

Blu frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. He didn't really want to explain himself for the umpteenth time. He just wanted to hear some answers as to what was going on. He wanted to know if his friends and family were safe.

"The last thing I remember I was in my home city of Rio de Janeiro, you know the one in Brazil, on the planet Earth!"

The collection of ponies let their jaws drop as the realisation hit them. The reason he didn't know Equestria, the reason they had never seen him before was because he wasn't from this place at all. Earth, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, none of those places even began to sound familiar to them.

"This is bad, Princess Celestia said that the Elements of Harmony could open a doorway to other worlds if they fell into the wrong hands. I have a feeling that that is what happened… this is bad, very… very bad."

Blu swallowed a large lump in his throat.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" He asked. "Are you saying that-"

"You are no longer in your own world. The dimensions have fused together, which could result in a dimensional collapse. If we don't fix this, it could very well destroy us all."


	7. Chapter 6: The King's Speech

_**Chapter 6:**_

_**The King's Speech!**_

Blu swallowed a large lump in his throat as he recalled the exact words spoken by the kind purple unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. In the matter of a few seconds, the reality of the situation seemed to darken and grow far worse than anything he knew about. At first he hadn't wanted to believe it, than he tried to pretend that he hadn't heard it at all, but he couldn't deny the fearful look on the eyes of every creature around him, or the danger which surrounded both worlds. True, Rio de Janeiro may have been destroyed in the attack by the bugs, but there were still so many places in mortal peril… so many lives which could be lost… and nothing he could do would be able to heal the wounds that divided itself down the dimension plains.

_You are no longer in your own world. The dimensions have fused themselves together._

Blu shuddered and peered at Twilight for a moment with a complete loss for words. He didn't need to speak, he knew that everyone felt the exact same way. The unicorn as well as every other pony stood fearful of the repercussions of such a cataclysmic disaster. Her friends gathered around her. Applejack lowered her hat to her muzzle and frowned. Fluttershy looked a little more fearful, she peered out at the window. Rainbow Dash stood huddled in a corner, her back stretched out as if she waited anxiously for someone to come up with a plan, and Pinkie Pie cried in the corner, though most of her tears seemed to run down her face simply for dramatic effect. In regardless everyone stood in fright at the news.

"Spike," Twilight Sparkle called out, turning around in time to see the young dragon run into the room. He carried a quill-feathered pen and a parchment of paper. He stopped at Twilight's hooves and waited for her next command. "Take a letter please, to the Princess." She commanded in a kind though no nonsense voice, which even brought Blu to attention.

Spike nodded his head and proceeded to write when he burped up a scroll before he could write a word. Twilight peered at the letter and used her magic to bring it closer to her. Unfolding it, she read the writing in a royal manner.

"To my dearest student, Twilight,

It is my duty as Princess to request that you and your friends report directly to Canterlot. We have a grave matter to discuss, and your services may be needed. I apologize for asking this of you after sending you to prepare for your most important mission yet, but I am afraid I have no other choice… this could very well help you save the Crystal Kingdom.

You teacher

Princess Celestia"

Blu watched the colour in Twilight's face fade to a pale white, her jaw hung open as her voice struggled to finish the remainder of the letter. The rest of the ponies gathered around her, ready to offer their support should the occasion call for it. After a few seconds, Twilight recovered, and nodded her head.

"Right, let's go every-pony. The Princess needs us, we can't keep her waiting."

Blu held up his wings and swallowed another lump in his throat. He eyes the letter and frowned, in all of his life he hadn't ever thought that the occasion would call for him standing before a princess of any kind… after all a few years ago he had only been a Nerd Bird living in Minnesota, now he stood as a dutiful father, loving husband, hero of Rio de Janeiro, and now rested as an inter-dimensional being. None of this made sense to him.

"W-W-Wait! Did you just say Princess?" He asked. "Do I really have too? I mean my feathers must be a mess, Jewel would probably kill me if she found out I met royalty like this-"

"I'm sorry," Twilight frowned. "I'm afraid you must come… maybe the Princess can help get you home. In all of my studies, I've never met someone more skilled in magic than she is, she'll surely think of something."

"B-B-But my friends," Blu protested. "I came here to look for my friends, the three ponies who brought me here said that they would be here."

Twilight let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. She pointed a single hoof towards the upper chamber of her library. A small bed could be seen hanging off the siding of the stairway.

"You're friend is resting." Twilight explained. "I believe he should be fine here, I have a magical calming spell which will bring him up to date on where we went. When he wakes up he'll meet us in Canterlot. For right now, I think it would be best if you came with us, the Princess will probably want to meet you."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Princess Celestia rose up onto her four hooves as Twilight and her friends approached. They bowed low in respect for their beloved monarch, which she greatly appreciated, though she held a hoof up to release them of their duty. These times did not call for any sort of difference between creatures, they existed now as a group with similar interests and common attributes… they all were living creatures and needed to save Equestria from certain doom.

The princess bowed her head and addressed her subjects. Her voice rang out with a seriousness never before seen upon the cheerful and fun loving princess. She peered at Twilight and noted the blue macaw who sat on her back. He looked to be the same size as the young mare, his brilliant cerulean feathers shined like diamond in the pale moon light.

"Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student, I am glad that you heeded my advice and came as fast as you possibly could. Please have your friends wait out in the great hall, you, me, and your new blue friend must talk quickly. This is extremely important and can not wait."

Twilight nodded her head and turned to her friends. She forced a cheerful smile though secretly she wished that her friends would have been granted permission to stay. She eyed them all and addressed them showing no hint of her disappointment or fear.

"I'll catch up with you in a bit, meet me in the great hall. We can talk about everything that happens here."

"NO!" Princess Celestia demanded slamming her hoof upon the ground. "THAT IS SOMETHING YOU MUST NOT DO!"

Twilight backed away, taken aback by the Princess' tone and sudden increase of her voice. She sounded like Luna back when she had first arrived on Nightmare Night, and spoke using the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice to address her subjects. The unicorn bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, Princess." Twilight apologized. "I didn't know…"

Celestia's eyes softened, she let out a sigh and proceeded to Twilight's side.

"Oh my faithful student, there is no need to apologize, but we must only discuss this subject here within this chamber. When I tell you what you're about to learn, it will become very clear as to why."

The Princess slapped her hoof across the ground and watched a strange enter the room. He looked like a unicorn with a red horn, green eyes, and a slick grey coat. From the way he dressed, he looked like an ancient samurai warrior. His armour glistened in the moonlight.

"Twilight Sparkle, I want you to meet my brother, King Sombra… he rules over the Crystal Kingdom."

"Hello," King Sombra said, his deep voice echoed out. "It is an honour to meet you, Twilight Sparkle. Both of my sisters speak very highly of your magical talents and abilities. I hope that you will aid in the rescue of my beloved kingdom."

Twilight nodded her head.

"Yes sir, that's the plan."

"Good," King Sombra chuckled. "Now how much do you know?"

"Not a lot," Celestia informed him. "I thought we should tell her together."

"Very well," Sombra announced, "The Crystal Kingdom or Empire as it is now known as, was a land of beauty. The ponies there had beautiful glossy coats which shimmered like diamond, there manes reflected the colours of every fabulous jewel ever known to Equestria. For generations we lived in peace, we knew nothing of greed, violence, or warfare… we only trusted in one thing… friendship."

"Unfortunately things didn't last. One day a creature appeared, he dressed like the darkest of night and commanded the most powerful of magic. The ponies became his slaves, they lived in misery and unhappiness. Me, and Luna attempted to stand up to him, we were forced to use the Elements of Harmony… when the smoke cleared and the fighting stilled, we found that the creature still existed."

Sombra nodded his head.

"The Elements of Harmony couldn't completely destroy this creature, he was too powerful, in the end he was transformed into a thick black fog, so Luna and Celestia banished him to the frozen tundra of the Northern boundaries… but his trickery wasn't done yet. He found a way to curse the Crystal Kingdom and slip it into another dimension. He hoped that it would weaken the dimensions and open a doorway to another world. If he couldn't rule Equestria, than he would rule another land, one where no one would be able to stop him."

Blu fluttered down to the floor. He held up his wings and addressed the two royal siblings.

"Wait, I think I've dealt with this creature before… not to long ago me and my friends fought against a group calling themselves the Dark Robe Society, Marco insisted that a creature had appeared to him during his childhood and promised him the powers of a god if he defeated all of the Spix's macaw species. That creature that you failed to destroy wanted to conquer my world."

King Sombra nodded in understanding.

"More than likely and it is good that you have come. Since you have dealt with him before, you can offer the ponies some help. If you are successful in destroying this monster you and your friends will be granted a full pardon and get to go home. Until that time comes, you are trapped here against your will. Good luck, may the winds of fortune blow upon you…"

Twilight bowed her head again and proceeded to leave, but felt Celestia stop her.

"Twilight, you must tell your friends about the Empire, but you must not mention the monster. He hears everything that goes on outside of this room, and he must not know of our efforts to stop him. When you travel to the Crystal Kingdom, you will need all of the information you can gather, you'll find it in this…"

Celestia tossed Twilight a small book blossomed with three ornate crystals on the cover.

"Thank you Princess," Twilight said. "I will do my best."

"One last thing," Sombra pointed out, "The curse cast upon my people have made it so that they can not remember my rule… they only know the grief and sorrow that has consumed them for the past one thousand years. You'll need to find a way to break the curse if you are to ask for their assistance."

Celestia and Sombra watched Twilight and Blu leave the room. They peered at each other through their peripheral vision, and frowned.

"Do you think they'll succeed?" She asked.

"I know the Crystal Ponies better than I know myself, the only two who will be able to help them is Cadance and Shining Armour. With that in mind, it looks like victory will be very slim… I don't think anyone can help the Empire now. It is far too gone and tarnished like a smoky quartz crystal."


	8. Chapter 7: Ballad of the Crystal Ponies

_Author's Notes:_

_In celebration of my birthday tomorrow, and the debut of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic season 3 which airs tomorrow, I decided to give you guys another chapter... I hope you guys enjoy it._

* * *

_Chapter** 7:**_

_**Ballad of the Crystal Ponies**_

The city of Rio de Janeiro rested in a sorry state. The buildings groaned and crumbled and fell into the damaged streets which now bubbled as they filled with deep pools of molten lava. The few buildings that remained standing began to seep a bright orange glow, and swayed in the optical illusion given off by the extreme heat, and sizzling black smoke. With the humans now gone, the buildings remained the only target left for the invading forces of the changelings to play with and dismantle at their own leisure.

Discord peered out at the destruction. He chuckled in his sheer delight and fell backwards, kicking his mismatched legs through the air. In all of the excitement, he wiped a tear from his eyes and peered at Chrysalis who watched everything with a rather unimpressed expression upon her face. She feigned a lack of interest in anything going on, which Discord couldn't deny. He formed a pleasant smile, and teleported to her side. He wrapped his short paw around her shoulder and peered in her eyes with his peripheral vision.

"What's the matter, Chrissie?" he asked. "Isn't spreading chaos around a wonderful thing… imagine it, the chaos capital of this world, where everyone has to bow down to us. What fun we could have."

Chrysalis pushed him aside. She spit with disgust and watched it evaporate into steam. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Discord pouted and held his paw over his heart, he pretended to cry though deep down he admired the playfulness of the changeling queen.

"Oh Chrissie, you can be so nasty…" he whined. "We're supposed to be playing a game here."

"Yeah well the game is over."

Discord swallowed a large lump in his throat as the sound of a harsh cruel whisper echoed in his ear. He straightened his body and teleported beside the newcomer, the strange black robed creature. A sharp chill crawled down his back, despite being the spirit of chaos and disharmony, he could not get used to, nor did he like being in the presence of this creature.

"Hey there," he smiled a little nervously. "How do you like the chaos I've sewn into this world?"

The robed creature peered out, despite none of his facial features being visible, it remained quite apparent that his foul temper began to rise. His robed limbs trembled as he looked on at the devastation.

"You idiot," he growled. "I sent you here to try and get the spix's macaws to Equestria, instead I find you destroying the world."

"Well mission accomplished." Discord grinned. "The birds are in Equestria, thanks to Chrissie here. For a creature who has holes in her legs, she certainly doesn't have them in her brain…"

The robed creature shook his head.

"Very good, I will deal with them further. As for the two of you, report to the capital city of the Crystal Empire… we will meet up there."

Both Discord and Chrysalis bowed their heads in acknowledgment to the request.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight stepped into the room, she peered at her friends all assembled around a large circular table. Each one of her friends stood up as she approached. Their cheerful smiles blossomed upon their faces.

"Um Twilight, what did you talk to Princess Celestia about?" Fluttershy asked, "I mean you can tell us if you want to…"

"Yes, Darling." A white unicorn named Rarity smiled. "Do go on and tell us why the Princess brought us all the way to the sophistication and glamour that is Canterlot, not that I'm complaining mind you."

Twilight lowered her head and let out a deep sigh. She watched Blu climb down from her back and work his way to the corner of the room so the ponies could have some privacy. She peered at him through the corners of her peripheral vision and formed a friendly smile. With a single movement of her head she flung a book onto the table.

"The bird and his friends are going to be helpful to us. The Princess wants all of us, including our new friends to go on an important mission. We must find a way to save the Crystal Empire, and the ponies who live there. She said everything we need to know is in this book, though I don't really know what that means."

Twilight lowered her head and began to explain herself further.

**_"Princess Cadance needs our help_**

**_Her magic will not last forever_**

**_I think we can do it, but we need to work together_**

**_We have to get this right!_**

**_Yes, we have to make them see_**

**_We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history"_**

The ponies got caught up in the beat of Twilight's words, they peered down at the book and proceeded to open the pages. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash admired the pictures and each found something to their liking. Before long Rainbow flew across the room and proceeded to dress herself in armour. She proceeded to sing the next few lines of the ballad.

**_"It says that they like jousting_**

**_They flew a flag of many hues_**

**_Made sweets with crystal berries_**

**_They had a petting zoo with tiny Ewes"_**

Twilight nodded her head and led the group into the remainder of the song. The ponies all bobbed their heads as they proceeded into the next verse.

**_"Oh we have to get this right_**

**_Yes, we have to make them see_**

**_We can save the crystal ponies with their history"_**

Pinkie Pie jumped up on the table and announced something she found in the book. She jumped for joy as she sang the words.

**_"There was a crystal frugal horn,_**

**_That every pony like to play_**

**_and the Crystal Kingdom anthem_**

**_Can you learn it in a day!_**

**_We have to get this right_**

**_Yes, we have to make them see_**

**_We can save the crystal ponies_**

**_With their hist-or-eeeeeee"_**

Blu clapped his wings and flew across the room. He eyed the collection of ponies with a no nonsense attitude. He thought about Jewel and his family, and wondered where they were. He hoped they were safe and far away from any of the evil creatures who existed in this strange world of Equestria.

"That's a very nice song," he smiled. "But um what do you plan to do? Do we even know where the Crystal Kingdom is?"

Rarity nudged Blu on the wing and smiled. She blinked her bluish eyes and whispered in his ear.

"Why Darling you obviously do not know Twilight, she always has some sort of plan."

Blu jumped when he heard the sound of the doors open. He turned around to see Rico entering the room. He panted under the sheer effort to catch his breath. He frowned and eyed the group.

"The one thing you need to know about Blu," he began. "He always is worried about something."

Blu chuckled and fluttered to the macaw's side.

"Rico, tell me what happened. Where's Jewel, where's Rose, where is everybody?"

Rico frowned and seated himself on the ground. He eyed the group of creatures who waited for his reply.

"They're gone Blu," he said. "Rose, the boys, and your friends, they were all taken to some weird floating island made out of crystal. The only one I haven't seen is Jewel…"

Blu shifted his attention to Twilight.

"How long before we move out?" he asked. "I need to get to my friends."


	9. Chapter 8: Journey to the Crystal Empire

_**Author's Notes:**_

_In case you haven't noticed this is sort of a retelling on the first few episodes of MLP season 3, the story itself will branch out in a different direction once we reveal who the villain is... for those of you who are MLP fans, please don't reveal who the villain is, let everyone else have a guess at who the ultimate villain is going to be._

_I'd also like to give a shout out to Ricardo the black hawk, for helping me in a certain section of this chapter, and answering a few of my questions I had for him. I couldn't have done this without him. Also please support his story, they're really good and he definitely needs the reviews. _

I hope you enjoy the chapter, remember to leave your reviews.

* * *

**_Chapter_ 8:**

_**Journey to the Crystal Empire**_

Sheer arctic winds ripped through the air, dropping the temperature to an amazing negative thirty degree Celsius range. As far as the eye could see, a thick white blanket of snow covered the landscape. Blu stumbled off the train and kissed the loading dock with his beak. In all of the years he'd spent in Minnesota with Linda, he could not recall a single time where he had travelled on board a train, and now as he stepped off of one, he knew for a fact that he didn't really care for the experience. Without a word he peered back at the ponies who departed off the mechanical menace that made him nauseous. Each one of them stared in awe at the desolate landscape of the arctic. Rarity however didn't seem to mind, she wiped a hoof across her scarf and peered with a satisfactory smile upon her face.

"See, you were all laughing when I told you to pack some extra scarves. They aren't just a fashion statement you know, though I must say they do look simply marvellous with my beautiful white coat, and matching boots. Even in the far north, Rarity knows how to make a statement, every pony will see that I am the type of pony in which every pony should know."

Blu rose up onto his talons and tried to regain his composure. He eyed the desolate landscape and swallowed hard. He hadn't seen snow since the last time he'd been in Minnesota a whole three to four years ago. He shivered as he recalled the bone chilling temperatures that accompanied a Canadian cold front, and harsh Minnesotian winters. In that second the timid bird he once was came rushing back to him. Alice and Chloe and their cruel torment as they chucked snowballs at the magical force field he knew as glass. He shuddered and lowered his head.

"I almost forgot how cold the snow could be," he frowned. "It's icy, and doesn't care about you, just like the hearts of those who seek to hurt you. Rio on the other hand is usually warm, and they never get to see such things."

"Are you okay, Blu?" Blu peered at Rico with his peripheral vision as the young macaw stopped at his side. He could feel the young bird's wing wrap around him in a reassuring manner. Blu wasn't sure if the macaw could read the uncertainty in his eyes or whether he was just being friendly. In regardless Blu shifted his attention to the horizon of white, and the cold falling snowflakes.

"Yeah," Blu admitted. "I just have a lot of bad memories with this stuff. I also wasn't expecting to come this far this fast. We still have no idea where Jewel, the chicks, or our friends are. What if we never find them?"

"We will," Rico reassured him. "We have no choice in the matter. They are out there somewhere, and we will find them, that's all there is too it. I say enjoy the ride, it's not every day we get to experience something like saving a whole Empire."

"TWILIGHT!"

Blu jumped with fright at the sound of a voice calling out from the far left. He shuddered and turned to see a white unicorn with a blue mane working his way down the loading dock. He dressed himself in a thick brown parka with skiing goggles and a scarf. He peered at the group of assembled creatures and smiled at them in earnest welcome.

"Shining Armour!" Twilight smiled running to her brother's side. "I haven't seen you since your wedding day. How have you been?"

The white unicorn male raised a hoof and shook his head. He peered at the horizon and spoke to his sister in a stern manner.

"We shouldn't talk here," Shining Armour frowned. "Let's just say that there are things out here that you wouldn't want to run into after dark."

Blu turned as Fluttershy let out a frightened whimper. Her eyes wouldn't sit in one position as she scanned the area for any sign of a dangerous creature lying ready to attack her. Her lower lip trembled as she fought the urge to run back onto the train and head home.

"What kind of things?" She asked.

"Let's just say that the Crystal Empire isn't the only thing to return." Shining Armour admitted. "I can not say anything else about it, let's just get moving quickly, once we reach the Empire we should be safe."

* * *

# # #

* * *

The hike through the snow proved to be torturous for the ponies. Their hooves traversed through the slush as if they were stepping through thick puddles of mud. It weighed them down and kept them from moving to fast. Shining Armour peered around at the horizon, and turned to his sister.

"We need to find a way to pick up the pace. We can't risk being seen out here and luring it back."

Twilight frowned and thought about her brother's words. He wasn't the kind of colt who would be afraid for no apparent reason, though right now he did seem startled and very uneasy about everything. This wasn't the brother she knew back when Chrysalis tried to take over Canterlot a while back. She frowned and put voice to her first question though she tried to avoid asking about the monster Celestia had told her about in their debriefing on the mission. She remembered Celestia's warning, while it remained dormant, she could only speak about it in the room in Canterlot… the more Twilight pondered about it, the more she realised that somehow the Princesses had cast a protective spell to keep it from reading their thoughts.

"What's out here?" She asked. "Why are you so afraid? This isn't like you Shining Armour."

Shining Armour nodded his head and kept on walking. He didn't want to stop until he reached the border of the Empire. As he walked he began to explain himself a little bit.

"The Crystal Empire was cursed, they mysteriously disappeared a thousand years ago, and now suddenly they're back. It doesn't make sense… but the Empire isn't the only thing to return. We keep hearing these sounds, these horrible grunting, and growling sounds. We have reason to believe that the unicorn king who was responsible for the curse has returned as well… he is trying to reclaim the ponies who once served him. He needs them for some reason."

Then it happened, a faint rumbling echoing off in the distance. The ponies stopped in their tracks and turned towards the sound of the noise. Blu's eyes widened in horror as he caught sight of something moving towards them – a thick black cloud of smoke – he turned to his companions and tugged on Twilight's mane.

"We need to get out of here, it's coming!"

The ponies didn't need any other warning. They started to run as fast as their legs would carry them. They panted but never slackened in their efforts to escape the horrible monstrosity charging up on them. Twilight peered back only once and noticed that it continued to gain on them with each passing second. It would soon be upon them. She shouted the only thing she could think of.

"Go! Go! Go!"

The ponies tried to pick up the pace, they could see a faint blue light in the distance. Shining Armour pointed towards it and grinned.

"There it is, that's the Empire, get in there! I'll slow him down."

Shining Armour stopped in his tracks and turned to face the evil cloud of smoke. He charged his horn and shot off a single laser blast. He watched it pass through the smoke with little effort, however it caused little damage. A cruel cackle could be heard, as if mocking his futile effort.

"Twilight, go!" he screamed, "Get your friends inside that portal now!"

Shining Armour leapt with all of his might, and slammed into the smoke. He could feel a dark energy passing through him, electrocuting every organ, muscle, and bit of fur on the end of his body. He winced, and peered up at his horn. Large pieces of crystal embedded itself into his horn. He couldn't fight back. He could feel himself dying under the cruel attack, his energy drained.

"EXCUSE ME!"

Shining Armour arched his back as something slammed into his body knocking him free from the thick evil cloud. He felt his body being picked up and tossed through the portal, he blacked out for a moment, and came too to see a female macaw standing over him.

"Who… who are you?" he asked.

He studied the gathering mass of creatures standing over them. He could see the sheer expression of delight upon the two male macaws' faces. He could tell that they knew this female who'd saved his life. The older male stepped forward and placed his wing around her.

"I'm so happy to see you," he said. "I was so worried, Jewel."

The female macaw nodded her head and kissed him on the end of his beak. Before long they broke apart, and the female turned his attention towards the portal. Her eyes glared at the thick cloud just waiting outside. It didn't appear to be able to pass through the portal.

"Would somebody care to explain just what is going on here?" She asked. "And just what exactly is that thing?"

Shining Armour nodded his head and raised up onto his hooves. He peered up and looked at his horn, the chunks of crystal still remained embedded in his horn, blocking any source of his magical abilities.

"Follow me," he said. "I know someone who can explain everything."


	10. Chapter 9: Dark One Revealed

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Dark One Revealed!**_

Blu, Jewel, and Rico walked into the large throne room and stared in awe at its beauty. The entire room stood as a large circular dome made out of different coloured crystals. The walls, the floor, the furniture, everything they could see was in some way a fabulous jewel the likes of which they'd never seen before. Overhead a large ruby chandelier hung down casting a sort of reddish tinge throughout the room. Two sapphire thrones rested as the centerpiece for the newly married prince and princess to overlook their kingdom.

Shining Armour smiled and turned to the gathered creatures, he held up a hoof and showed the macaws and ponies the layout of their castle. No creature present could believe their eyes. The shimmering gemstones reacted to his movements, almost as if caught in some hypnotic trance. They glowed with a mystical light which brightened as the unicorn drew near. He led them to one of the thrones where a pink Pegasus Unicorn sat. She didn't look to be in great shape. Her bloodshot eyes stared out unfocused on any particular thing, huge black and blue bags formed under her eyes, her breathing even seemed non existent. Twilight held a hoof over her mouth to stifle her shocked gasp.

"Cadance!"

The Pegasus Unicorn jumped to her hooves and rushed over to join her friends in the center of the room. She smiled at Twilight and pulled her into a welcoming hug before proceeding to do their little greeting – a secret handshake that they both formed long before either of them could ever remember – the ponies and macaws watched the pair of unicorns with smiles upon their faces, though deep down they all worried about the sagging eyelids under Cadance's eyes.

"Sunshine, Sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake."

The pair of unicorns laughed together briefly before Shining Armour intervened. He stepped between Twilight and held his wife close to him. He could smell the nectar in her hair as well as the sweet flowery fragrance of her perfume. He eyed the group of creatures and pointed to the force field.

"You wanted to know about everything going on, well Cadance isn't doing too well. Like I said we have reasons to believe that the unicorn king who once ruled here has returned to claim the lives of the ponies who were once his slaves. Cadance has been doing everything to keep them safe, however I am not sure if she has what it takes anymore."

Cadance rolled her eyes and tried to stand up on her own hooves. Her eyes rolled around in her skull as she fought to force herself forward. She peered at Shining Armour and tried to kiss him, though her strength wouldn't let her move anymore than a few inches.

"I'm fine," she admitted. "I can handle this-"

"She is not fine!" Shining Armour told Twilight, his voice stern and unwilling to argue with his wife. "She hasn't slept in over two weeks, she hasn't eaten anything in almost as long, and all of her magic is draining faster than water leaking out of a holed cup. She can't keep this up for much longer without suffering a serious injury or worse, the effort of maintaining the force field could kill her… but you yourselves saw what is out there waiting for that to happen."

Blu and Jewel fluttered to the floor and shuddered at their recent encounter with the thick cloud of evil black smoke. It moved as if it was a living, breathing entity. The spix's macaw held his wife in his wings and peered at the unicorn. The pink Pegasus Unicorn in his hooves looked unusually pale. He couldn't deny the truth in the colt's words. The efforts of maintaining the force field was in fact killing her.

"Would that thing have anything to do with IT?" he asked. "The Princess, Celestia I think it was, said we could not say it aloud, but she warned us of some horrible thing that she and her sister locked away a thousand years ago."

Jewel peered up at Blu a little taken aback by his question. The spix's macaw male just smiled and explained himself to her.

"What? I've been paying attention."

"That's a first," Jewel teased.

Shining Armour nodded his head.

"IT would be the black cloud of smoke we ran into outside. I'm afraid that we aren't sure of what its physical form looks like, but believe me it's intelligent and very, VERY strong. If it gets in here it could throw Equestria into an eternity of despair, destruction, and its influence could possibly reach other worlds. We need to find a solution to this problem fast, before anything happens to Equestria, the Empire, Cadance, the citizens, or any other world it decides to lay its clutches upon. Right now we rest as the last line of defence."

"Gee, no pressure," Jewel frowned.

"What I need you guys to do is question the crystal ponies and see if they know anything." Shining Armour announced. "Cadance has been too busy with her protection spell, and I've been too busy trying to protect her and looking for signs of trouble in the arctic, please bring back whatever information you can find."

Twilight, Blu, and the group all nodded their heads in agreement and charged towards the door. No one bothered to look back for fear that seeing Cadance in her hour of need would change their minds and force them to stay and assist her husband in her protection.

"One day soon Twilight, we should hang together when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging by a thread."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu fluttered to Jewel's side and peered at Twilight who took charge in debriefing everyone. Behind her a large collection of crystallized houses stretched off as far as the eye could see, they stopped only when they reached the barrier of Cadance's protective force field. Beside each house rested a lone piece of ruby, the significance of whatever these were, remained a mystery to him. He peered up at the sky and peered at the sun shining down filtering the streets with a wide variety of colour, he frowned and wiped a tear from his eye as he remembered that everything he saw in the sky was nothing more than just an illusion created by Cadance's spell. How long the beauty would last would be anyone's guess, but Blu knew that if the dark black smoke and whatever rested inside had its way, the beauty would be destroyed faster than Nico and Pedro could run to a party.

"Okay so here is what we need to do," Twilight announced. "We all need to question the crystal ponies and see if they know anything about what is going on? Try and probe them for information on anything that the Empire used to defend itself or if they have any information on where we can receive this information. This is our most important mission. We're going to need everyone to help out."

The group nodded their heads in agreement.

"Good, let's get moving, for Equestria!"

Blu began to head towards the city but found himself stopped by Jewel's wing on his shoulder. He spun around and looked into her warm sapphire eyes. She couldn't look at him, there was a hint of sadness about her.

"Blu, did you really mean what you said back in Rio that the reason you left us behind was to find Linda and get her to safety?"

Blu nodded his head.

"Yeah, I couldn't lie to you. I knew you and the kids would be fine, but Linda and Tulio would be in danger. If something happened to them, and then something should happen to you, we wouldn't be able to receive medical treatment."

Jewel lowered her head further and let out a heartfelt sigh. She shifted her eyes to look into his.

"Listen, I don't know where we are, but I know that we're going to be in the fight of our lives. Nigel, The Dark Robe Society, everything we ever faced is going to be nothing compared to this. This thing can destroy worlds if it wanted too, if something should happen, I want you to be safe…"

Blu nodded his head.

"I won't let anyone hurt you or the chicks. If it tries, this thing will never stand a chance against me. I'll destroy it even if it takes the rest of my life… but come we need to get moving, we aren't doing any good just standing around here, time is running out and that force field could fail at any moment."

Jewel shook her head.

"I'm not going," she said, she peered back at the castle. "I want to get another look at that castle. There is something about it that is calling to me. I need to follow my heart and go there. If this force field fails before I get back, I am so thankful to have you as my mate, I love you."

Blu leaned in and planted a passionate kiss on Jewel's beak. The two became lost in the moment, knowing that this could quite possibly be the last time that they ever saw one another. Jewel closed her eyes and wrapped her wings around Blu's body, but he kept one eye peering out at the sky. The bright blue imitation sky flickered occasionally revealing a dark yellowy, blood red sky. The scenery of the real world sent shivers down his spine, but it only made their kiss more intense. He didn't want the moment to end, because he knew that they would need to part ways for the time being once it did come to an end. His heart ripped in two as he pulled himself away and headed towards the city.

"Listen, Jewel… if the worst thing should happen. You'll be safe if you can get yourself underground. If not, than head to the center of the castle. If the battle should start, we'll do everything we can to keep them from taking the castle. Do NOT stray away from it unless you absolutely have too. That includes looking for me, do you understand?"

Jewel nodded.

"Good, now get moving."

Jewel spread her wings and took to the sky, Blu watched as she vanished from sight. He let out a heartfelt sigh and turned away. Some sixth sense warned him that everything would go right to hell, he wouldn't ever be able to see her again. He would die to protect them from this monstrosity.

"Be safe, Jewel." He sighed. "I love you."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Rose's eyes opened as she came back to reality for the first time since her capture. Her head pounded, her throat throbbed as she tried to swallow some saliva to moisten her throat. Every part of her body ached as she tried to make sense of what happened. She could remember the strange black bugs destroying the whole of Rio, and being brought forth to the Changeling queen who announced herself as Chrysalis, the rest remained a vivid blur.

She peered out at the darkness and walked forward but found herself unable to do so. A large pink bubble appeared stopping her from proceeding forward. She touched it with her wing but found it deflected almost instantly. Her eyes widened as she came to the realisation that she rested trapped in some magical force field meant to keep her a prisoner.

"DO NOT TRY AND ESCAPE THAT WAY! HAHAHAHA!"

Rose peered around the darkness at the sound of the deep booming voice which flowed through the darkness in all directions. She couldn't put her wing upon it, but something about this voice sounded familiar.

"Hello," she managed to speak up. "Who's there?"

"YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!" The voice replied, "I AM THE DESTROYER OF GOOD, THE WEAVER OF BAD DREAMS AND DISTINGUISHING REALITIES, YOU MAY CALL ME, THE NIGHTMARE! YOU'RE MY PRISONER MY DEAR, AND YOU ARE MOR VALUABLE THAN YOU KNOW."

Rose backed away but became deflected as he back came into contact with the shield. She lurched forward in time to see a dark robed figure emerge from the thick cloud of black. He held no recognisable facial features, his dark green eyes and blood red irises glared out at her. He stuck a tongue out and licked the layer of shield closest to where she stood.

"You will never escape from me," The Nightmare laughed. "I've dealt with millions like you, Princesses, Princes, Emperors, Empresses, they all break the same way and become mine… you're no different."

"You're overconfidence is your weakness." Rose snapped at him.

"Your faith in your family and friends, as well as your insecurities are yours… the same as they are for everyone else. I killed your family, the changelings have destroyed your home, and no one else knows you are here. Face it, you are my prisoner now, the only path you have left is darkness. You are mine… forever."

Rose shook her head and glared at the robed creature. Her eyes slit into dangerous pools of hatred and vengeful fury.

"I don't believe you!" she snarled. "I was told the same thing by a hawk called Marco, he was nothing more than a liar! Just like all of you villains are!"

The robed creature laughed for a moment and turned his back on her. He took a step away from the force field and peered back at her.

"Marco, you mean the leader of the Dark Robed Society?" he asked. "Of course you do, how many other Marco's could there be? He was a fool, I promised him the power of a god if he went around and slaughtered all the spix's macaws… I used him, he was so easy to manipulate and he never once thought that I was lying… he was never going to achieve the power I promised him. The only thing I care about is my own ambitions. In the end he died the way all mortals do."

Rose's eyes widened as the robed creature added some emphasis on the word _mortals_. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion at the cloaked figure.

"Who are you? What are you?"

The robed creature laughed and threw his head back removing his hood. His dark eyes peered at her, now with nothing hiding his true face. He looked like a unicorn with a blood red horn. His dark green eyes and blood red irises glowed bright amongst his grey and black body. His mouth contained rows of jagged fangs.

"I am the unicorn king and ruler of the crystal empire… I am King Sombra, otherwise known as The Nightmare."


	11. Chapter 10: A Glimmer of Hope and Horror

_**Chapter 10:**_

_**A Glimmer of hope and Horror!**_

"Hello, ma'am," Twilight smiled as she peered in through an open crack in the doorway where a crystal pony stood eyeing her. In every way she looked the way the young unicorn imagined her to be, a bright coloured pony with smooth strands of hair which would shimmer in the moonlight, however there seemed to be a certain sadness about the creature, something not quite right about her. Her strands of hair looked grey and pale, like all the colour had been sucked out through a straw leaving nothing but a world of blandness in its wake. Her coat also held a certain faintness to it, though the original colour could still be seen. The crystal pony eyed her a little uneasy, though unafraid by the newcomer's presence.

"Hello," she replied, "Can I help you?"

Twilight nodded her head and tried to keep her eyes focused in the pony's bright blue eyes. Despite the constant array of sadness in them, she could see a small glimmer of hope, a longing for a better future. In a way they both shared a similar dream, despite their differences in life style, Twilight knew that she could use that hope to focus her thoughts and put a voice to her question.

"Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and I would like to ask you a few questions about your beautiful empire."

The crystal pony lowered her head. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to think about anything related to the empire. After a few moments she let out a sigh and shook her head, before cowering back from the door. Her eyes seemed to fill with an undeniable uneasiness about the question.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know anything."

"But you must" Twilight protested. "You've been gone a thousand years, surely you must have gone somewhere. How did the empire keep itself safe for all those years? Please you must help me."

The crystal pony shook her head and took another step backwards. She eyed Twilight growing more serious. She leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything before the time King Sombra came into power… have we really been gone for a thousand years? It feels like we were here only yesterday."

"Yes," Twilight nodded her head. "Perhaps you could tell me that. What was King Sombra like as a king? Was he a good ruler? Did he look after his people? What did you guys do for fun?"

"I'm sorry," The crystal pony insisted, "I can't remember anything about the time he ruled over us…"

Twilight let out a defeated sigh, and lowered her head. She couldn't keep arguing with the pony, it wouldn't get her anywhere, and with time so short it would soon run out and if they couldn't get their questions answered, the darkness would win and the worlds would be doomed.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you," Twilight muttered. "But if you can think of anything to help, anything at all…"

"Of course," The pony nodded. "I'll tell you right away."

Before Twilight could respond the door closed shut, she let out a sigh and turned to see her assistant Spike standing behind her. He looked a little disappointed by the way things had gone, he frowned and stepped up to the unicorn's side.

"Well that could have gone better." He muttered.

"King Sombra mentioned that the crystal ponies were cursed by IT before Celestia and Luna were able to seal it away. It must be the curse that is keeping them from remembering anything. There would be no better way of controlling someone and stopping them from trying to defeat your evil rule. That would explain why her coat wasn't crystally."

Spike nodded his head in agreement, though he didn't quite understand what she meant by all of this.

"So how does this help us?" he asked. "Isn't a curse stopping them from remembering hurt our goal?"

Twilight shook her head.

"Not quite, I'll explain it when we meet up with the others, but first let's see if they've had any luck."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jewel studied the innards of the throne room of the castle for a moment. Her sapphire eyes studied everything. Her heart pounded as she stood in place. She couldn't explain what she was feeling, there seemed to be something unsettling about this particular room, something evil, something that she couldn't feel when everyone else had been around. With everyone gone, she could feel it, the dark energy rising up through the ground, seeping into her body, and filling her with dread,

Without a word she bent down and put a wing upon the ground and felt the negative energy rising up from the spot. Her eyes widened as she felt everything coming together. The sky flickering as Cadance's spell weakened, the destruction of not one, not two, but three worlds being destroyed by a single opponent. She swallowed a lump in her throat and felt the ground underneath her feat give away.

"Blu, help me!" she screamed before everything fell black.

When she awakened she found herself staring out at the city of Rio de Janeiro. It looked horrible. Fires burned through the streets, the changelings flew through the sky as they marched humans and creatures around like slaves. She couldn't move, nor could she speak. She remembered calling for Blu to help her, but he never came. She looked back to see the Crystal Empire floating in the sky, the destruction of both worlds seemed evident.

"What have I done?" She muttered.

"You abandoned us," A voice called to her. Jewel spun around to see Blu standing behind her. He looked mad, his eyes glared out at her, burning into her very soul. He formed a wicked smile and proceeded to perch at her side. "You're always good for a laugh, Jewel. You're weak, you're pathetic, you never were good enough to be my mate, the only reason I put up with you is because you're the last of our kind."

Jewel swallowed a large lump in her throat, her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't believe what Blu said to her, but she couldn't deny that he said it to her as well. His unbridled hatred towards her, his very disgust towards her wasn't something she could argue with.

"Let's look at the score," he said. "Because of you, I've been dead almost three times and turned evil once. Yet you sit there thinking your good enough for me, what a joke! I could never love someone like you! Plus you sit there and gave me trouble for trying to help my best friend, yet you ran off to the castle the very second things got too intense for you… you're a selfish hypocrite. You always have been."

Jewel fell to her knees, her strength gave out as her heart shattered into tiny pieces. She watched as Blu spread his wings and flew off through the sky. Her tears flooded down her cheeks as she sat there sobbing.

"Jewel!"

She heard someone call her name, but she didn't want to listen to it, her heart hurt her more than anything else. She wanted to die without Blu by her side. She wanted to scream but found no noise would escape from her beak.

"Jewel!"

Jewel looked up to see Blu standing over her once again, he spread his wings and threw a ball of dark magic at a crystal. In that split second everything in the world changed. The darkness covered the entire countryside, though only for a few moments. She stared in awe, and once everything returned to normal she found herself standing in the middle of the throne room once again.

"Jewel!"

She spun around to see Shining Armour standing over her. Her tears stained the floor where she lay trembling.

"What?" She found herself asking wiping a wing across her eyes. "I'm fine."

"I don't think so," Shining Armour frowned. "I want to know what happened, I came in and you were staring at a wall with this blank expression. I can't explain it, but it was almost like you were in a trance."

Jewel peered down at the floor and let out a sigh, before caving in and revealing the contents of what she just saw. Shining Armour listened with a great interest to the young female macaw, he nodded his head upon occasion and frowned.

"I've been having visions here as well, for some reason when I stand in the spot you're in, I have these horrible day dreams, almost as if I am seeing my worst nightmare come to life. It sounds like you're having the same problem as I am."

Jewel nodded her head with a heavy heart.

"Don't let it get to you, they're only visions nothing more."

"But I saw something else that wasn't a nightmare as well, Blu used a dark magic and shot at a crystal, it seemed to change the world around him. Could this be a warning to what we're supposed to do?"

Shining Armour thought about it for a moment.

"Go and find Twilight, out of anyone's magic, hers is the most adaptable. It may just be a vision, but this is something we can try out and put to the test."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Within the hour Twilight had managed to gather the group back together. Everyone peered at her a little more than worried by the way she assembled them. Something about a secret hidden in the book, and that they knew the solution all the time, but none of them knew really what to think about her mysterious behaviour. Twilight threw the book to the ground and opened it up to one of the last pages available.

"Listen to this, it's a passage called The Crystal Fair, apparently the crystal ponies held a celebration once a year to brighten their spirits so they could somehow protect the empire for a whole year. I don't know about you, but I personally believe that this is our clue, somehow the solution to all of this is with this fair. Let's try and set it up and get the ponies to come and have some fun."

Applejack cocked her head to one side as she thought about what her friend suggested. Something about it didn't add up to her, nor did it count on the side of logic. She raised a hoof to her hat and lowered it to her muzzle, before speaking her mind on the matter.

"So what yer sayin is that to defeat that there evil smoke ball all we need to do is set up a fair and sell some caramel apples and some popcorn for dee-sert? I reckon that is possible but can't quite see how it would work, Sugarcube."

Rainbow Dash nodded her head.

"Yeah like what's the deal with that, you would think that something big and powerful would have a cool send off," Rainbow Dash stopped and noted the annoyed look given to her by the other ponies, she shrugged and chuckled a little embarrassed by her suggestion. "What? I'm just saying that maybe it should be just about twenty percent cooler."

Rarity shoved Rainbow Dash out of the way and raised a hoof. She jumped with excitement as she blurted out her suggestion.

"Perhaps I could make some crystal fair hats, think about how happy these ponies would be when I give them the latest style of fashion, they will treat me like their goddess and know that I AM RARITY!"

Twilight cocked her head to one side a little confused by the suggestion, her jaw dropped for a moment.

"Um o…kay, the hats would be a great idea, but try to keep down the fashion stuff, because they've been gone for a thousand years!"

"I make no promises," Rarity smiled.

"What can I do?" Blu asked raising a wing.

"You can help me," Twilight suggested. "The final page of the book says that the fair always had a crystal heart, perhaps we can make one."

Blu nodded his head.

"Done and done, you can count on me."

"BLU! TWILIGHT!"  
Both creatures turned their attention to the sky as they heard a voice calling their names, they spotted Jewel as she came in for a landing.

"Your brother wants you to report to the castle immediately, its really important."

Twilight nodded her head.

"Get to work on the fair, we need to get this done as fast as possible, I'll report to Shining Armour and tell him our plan. We're going to need every pony for this one, so let's show this creepy cloud the true power of friendship and teamwork."


	12. Chapter 11: A Desperate Situation

_**Chapter 11: **_

_**Desperate Situation  
**_ Twilight paced back and forth across the innards of the large throne room. Her eyes focused upon her brother who stood in a cold sweat as he himself focused upon the book in her possession. He didn't bother to say a word, but she knew him well enough to know that he was considering every option, and weighed both pro and con for whatever they decided to follow through on. With everything on the line, and the fate of three different worlds hanging in the balance, there weren't any clear answers, or appropriate right choices to make, they needed to take a gamble and hope against all hope that everything would work out fine… that alone made the decision harder than it needed to be, because it could NOT be taken lightly.

"It's called the Crystal Fair," Twilight explained after a few moments of awkward silence. "The book says that it happened once a year and was meant to brighten the spirits of the crystal ponies and strengthen friendship and unity so they could be safe for a full year. It became one of their most important customs. Me and my friends could put it together and run everything, and everything we need to know about the fair is mentioned in that one book."

Shining Armour peered down at the pages again, as hard as he tried he could not think up any better ideas. He let out a defeated sigh and nodded his head. He would not let the crystal ponies or his wife down because of his stubborn ways or over analyzing of the situation. He needed to put trust in his sister, and that of course was something he knew he could do, she had saved him so many times in the past, and most recently she was the sole reason he and his bride Cadance were able to be married. She proved her worth time after time, and now he needed to return the favour.

"It sounds promising," he admitted. "Okay, but please hurry. We really don't need any pony catching word of the danger, and we don't want to cause a panic. We need to keep their spirits high, or we won't succeed in defeating IT. If things get out of hoof, you and your friends will need to try and control the panic stricken crowd. We'll focus on keeping that shield up."

Twilight would have taken the courtesy to nod however before she could make a move the throne room doors burst open allowing access to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Both came running into the room as if their lives depended upon it, and stopped only when they reached their unicorn friend. They eyed Twilight with cheerful smiles and proceeded to tell her the good news.

"The fair is ready," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie nodded her head in her typical hyperactive fashion. Her voice rang out at a lightning speed which forced Twilight to strain her ears in order to hear every word the excitable pink pony had to say. "Rainbow Dash is going to do the jousting with Fluttershy. I'm going to be clowning around. Rarity is doing festive hats, and Applejack is taking care of the food. All you got to worry about is the crystal heart with those macaws. You didn't forget about that, did you? Huh? Huh? Huh? At first I would have said yeah, but I said to myself Pinkie, Twilight is one of the most dependable of ponies, she wouldn't forget something as amazing as the crystal heart, I mean come on it's the crystal heart, how not amazing could it possibly not be!"

Twilight nodded her head and issued for silence.

"No, Pinkie, I did not forget. Blu and Jewel are in the process of making it out of a crystal block. But right now we really have to let every pony know. Let's do a royal announcement, and tell them to come to the fair."

Shining Armour nodded his head.

"Sounds like a plan, let's do it."

Stepping out onto the balcony Pinkie Pie blew into her flugelhorn while Twilight, Shining Armour, and Princess Cadance got into position. All three of them raised their hooves for the royal announcement.

"Heeryee! Heeryee! Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armour do corugally invite you to attend the crystal fair!"

* * *

# # #

* * *

The crystal ponies didn't need to be asked a second time. No sooner had the message been shouted throughout the empire did the entire population of ponies descend upon the fair grounds. They lined up through the streets and awaited their entrance into the place they knew would bring excitement and fun for ponies of all ages. Applejack greeted the group with a welcoming hoof and allowed them passage into the fair grounds. She smiled and shouted at the top of her lungs so she could be heard over the commotion.

"Howdy y'all, welcome to the Crystal Fair, y'all enjoy some games, and rides, and some sweet crystal food in the back near the crystal heart. If y'all get a chance why don't you send yer well wishes to the Princess, I reckon she'd be plum excited to hear from all of her loyal subjects."

The crystal ponies all smiled at the friendly earth pony and walked past. They stood in awe at everything happening around them, it almost looked identical to the fairs from the past. Memories began to rush through their minds as they began to smile. A time from their lives long forgotten came rushing back into plain view. They couldn't stop themselves from cheering and laughing, breaking a small section of the curse placed upon them.

From her vantage point in the sky, Rainbow Dash saw the transformation from dull to crystallised ponies. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, her smile undeniable to even the most stubborn of creatures. She would have applauded except she needed her hooves to maintain where she flew. She did a few barrel rolls before coming in for a landing.

"Yes! We're breaking the curse! That's definitely a great start." Rainbow Dash giggled. "And Rarity thought it was impossible…"

"Um no I didn't!" Rarity shouted from her booth a short distance away. "You thought it was impossible."

"Do you really think they have the crystal heart?" A crystal pony asked from behind. With not a second to waste the rainbow Pegasus shot herself beside the creature and wrapped a hoof around him.

"Of course we have it," she smiled. "You can't have a crystal fair without the crystal heart."

"Of course you can't," The pony admitted. "The whole point of the crystal fair was to bring laughter to the crystal ponies who in turn would power up the crystal heart, and its magic would cast a protection spell across the whole empire for a year. Don't you remember?"

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped as she realised the foolish mistake on their part. She jumped and darted through the sky as fast as her wings would carry her. She stopped only once she reached Twilight and covered the crystal heart with a nearby cloth. She trembled as she saw the gathering mass of ponies who all wanted to see the fabulous decoration.

"I think we have problems" she announced.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight paced back and forth across the balcony, she eyed Blu and Jewel who looked a little disappointed. All their hard work and contributions had been for nothing, the heart they crafted wouldn't work. They drummed their talons across the balcony flooring, their eyes sagged.

"I didn't know it was a relic," Twilight explained to her brother. "It wasn't mentioned in the book, how could I have missed that? What are we going to do? We don't have the time to try anything else!"

Cadance nodded her head and stepped forward. She looked awful, almost a deathly grey. The bags under her eyes darkened and she could barely speak a word without gasping for air.

"It's okay, Twilight, I forgive you-"

Those were the last words Cadance spoke before falling unconscious. Her magic stopped dropping the force field almost in the same instant. A rumbling could be heard on the horizon causing all eyes on the balcony to turn with fright. They knew IT was coming, and they couldn't stop it. Thick clouds of black smoke charged forward with all of their might. With each second it drew closer, corrupting the land that it touched, and destroying the land behind it.

"NO!" Shining Armour frowned. "The Empire is under attack! I need to find the Crystal Heart!"

Twilight shook her head in open defiance.

"NO! You need to stay here and get Cadance to wake up and use her spell. I'll find that heart!"

Blu and Jewel nodded their heads and prepared themselves to fly with her. This would be their most important mission of the day. If they couldn't stop this thing, there would be no hope for anyone.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Twilight demanded. "There is something I need you to do NOW!"

Rainbow Dash nodded her head and saluted in a military style fashion, she couldn't smile, but the seriousness of the situation showed upon her face.

"I'll follow your every command." She said.

"Good, I need you to keep the fair going, I'm going to look for the heart!"

"WHAT!?" Rainbow Dash protested. "Let me get this straight, you are going on a scavenger hunt with no clues, with that thing moving into the empire as we speak. Are you crazy?"

Twilight broke into a wild sprint with Rainbow Dash, Blu and Jewel hot on her tail. She couldn't stop, every second counted.

"No, remember what you heard, the crystal fair is to brighten the spirits of the ponies so they can use the heart to cast the protection spell. If you can't keep the fair going, then it doesn't matter if I find the heart or not, they won't be able to use it and that thing wins."

Rainbow Dash nodded her head.

"Right, I got it now, keep the fair going and keep the spirits of the ponies high so when you return we can kill this thing forever. Done and done, you can count on me Twilight!"

Rainbow Dash picked up speed, speeding through the air like a bullet. Twilight turned to Blu and Jewel who still followed her.

"Now do either of you know where we could start?"

"I assume we should search the castle," Blu yelled at the top of his lungs, his fear evident. "That thing once ruled from here with an iron fist, if I was in that position than I would more than likely count on the fact that the ponies wouldn't search here, they'd be too afraid to come looking for it."

Jewel nodded her head.

"Let's go to the throne room. There is some powerful energy source coming up through the floor. I had a vision of you shooting dark magic into a crystal. It must have been some kind of warning on what we need to do."

"We'd better hurry though," Blu muttered. "That thing is getting closer!"

* * *

# # #

* * *

Shining Armour shook his wife in a desperate fashion and tried to get her to wake up. His eyes focused on the horizon, at the evil thick cloud of smoke creeping closer with each passing second. His ears twitched at the sound of the inhumane and demonic growls coming from it. He shuddered as a sharp chill worked its way down his spine.

"Come on, Cadance, wake up!" he pleaded. "You just need to keep your spell going a little while longer, Twilight has gone to get the crystal heart so you can have a rest. You've been doing so well so far, I'm very proud of you, but right now you have to wake up. That thing is coming and you're the only one who can stop it. Don't let it beat you."

Cadance's eyes opened a crack and she resumed her spell. The shield shot up just as it reached the borderlines of the empire. The cloud of smoke slammed into the shield in an attempt to stop it from rising but found it to be no use. A small black chunk of its fogginess fell into the empire causing the ground to tarnish. Overtop the ground large black crystals started to form.

"Yessssssss," it laughed. "Crystalsssssss"

* * *

# # #

* * *

Down in the fair, tensions were growing high. A large mass of ponies descended upon the covered up crystal heart despite Applejack's best efforts to keep them away. She held up her hooves and tried to speak her mind and explain to them that there were other things to do.

"Would any of y'all like to try some homemade crystal nectar, good for what ales ya. How 'bout some nice crystal dumplings made from the finest of berries. There's also a jousting match about to start, I reckon that'll be something exciting."

A large group of ponies traversed to the three locations causing Applejack to let out a sigh of relief. She lowered her hat to her muzzle and peered at the castle. The sky continued to flicker the yellowish blood red of the tainted world outside, causing the earth pony to shudder. The force field wouldn't last forever, and neither would her efforts to keep the ponies away from the fake heart.

"Hurry up, Sugarcube." She frowned. "These crystal ponies are more curious than a cat."

At the jousting field, Fluttershy suffered her fifteenth defeat in a row. She trembled as Rainbow Dash stood over her in victory, her lance shining in the fake sunlight. Both ponies eyed the sky, but Fluttershy continued to whimper.

"Please, take it easy on me, I've never jousted before." She whimpered. "Isn't there someone else who can take over the demonstration?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and leaned in to the timid little filly. Her cocky smile became one of sweetness.

"The fate of this empire rests on us showing these ponies a good time." Rainbow Dash told her. "But if that isn't important to you, I'm sure their immediate destruction is something you can live with."

Fluttershy shook her head but still continued to whimper. As much as she admired Rainbow Dash, she couldn't stand the tension of the situation. The force field grew weaker, and she couldn't even control her fears enough to hold the lance straight. She nodded her head in defeat, and wiped her tears from her eyes.

"Fine," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "I'll go easy on you, though not to easy, we need to make this fun and I have a reputation to maintain."

* * *

# # #

* * *

In the square, Rarity was suffering her own problems. The dark crystals were continuing to build and the ponies were beginning to panic. To help them keep calm, she continued to work on her hats, making them bigger, better, and much more fashionable than anything she'd ever worked on before.

"Hats! Get your hats, nice, fashionable, the crème of the crème. " She hollered at the top of her lungs. She pulled in the nearest crystal pony and placed one on his head with force. "Darling, you look absolutely fabulous, tell your friends to get here quickly, they're going to go fast."

Rarity formed a nervous smile as she peered over her shoulder. The crystals continued to grow, and she wouldn't be able to stay here for much longer. But she would do her duty until that time came.

"Rarity," she told herself. "You're going to go down with the ship. You're going to be a hero… um a hero with a good fashion sense, I might add."

The ground gave off a deafening crack as more crystals continued to grow, the immediate area trembled causing her to cringe nervously.

"On second thought who needs to be a hero, the world needs someone like me."

She burst into a full forced sprint as a crystal grew destroying her hat making stall. She peered back, watching the wood disintegrated into piles of splinters.

"Oh, it is on." She glared. "I will not let this crime against fabulosity go unpunished."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Applejack continued to fight back at the group of ponies who assembled around her. Everyone of them looked nervous, scared, and they peered up at the sky noticing the weird colours of flickering light. Rarity worked her way through the crowd and caught hold of Spike.

"Spike, be a dear and find Twilight and tell her to hurry up please!"

"Um uh sure," Spike nodded, running as fast as his little legs would carry him. With the mass of destruction happening without the force field even being down, he knew a good place to start looking. He headed off towards the castle.

Rarity leaned in to Applejack and whispered in her ear. Her panicked voice spoke volumes to the earth pony. Her eyes filled with a nervous anticipation as she eyed the large group of creatures.

"We need to do something," she whispered. "I ran out of traditional weaving material for the craft's booth. I needed to make a hat from three pieces of straw and a drinking straw… I still made it work mind you, but really, is it too much to ask that we get this over and done with."

"I hope so," Pinkie Pie whispered to them as she appeared from no where juggling flugelhorns. "Even I can't keep this party going forever."

Before Pinkie Pie could take a step, she dropped a flugelhorn on her hoof. She screamed in pain letting one fly from her grip and straight into the fake heart. All ponies present fell silent as they peered at the heart which shattered upon the ground.

"Hey, that isn't the crystal heart!" One crystal pony announced.

"Imposters!" Another shouted.

"I doubt they're crystal ponies at all" A third snapped.

Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie huddled together in the place the heart had been. They formed nervous smiles and raised their hooves.

"Now calm down y'all," Applejack grinned. "The real crystal heart is on it's way right now."

"I would have said, was being polished," Rarity interrupted. "You know to bide us some more time!"

"Oops," Applejack frowned, "my bad."

The three ponies charged off as fast as their hooves would carry them to the protection of the castle.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight peered around the room with a growing frustration. No matter how hard she tried, she could not find any sign of the crystal heart. Slamming her hoof into the ground, she glared at Jewel who continued to study the floor where she could feel the dark energy rising up out of the crystals.

"Aren't you going to help?" Twilight asked. "This is getting us no where fast. It has to be around here! It just has to be!"

"It's right here," Jewel announced. "I can feel the energy rising up out of the floor boards, what if there is something here."

Twilight charged over to the female macaw's location and peered at the crystal. She couldn't see anything except her own reflection.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

Jewel nodded her head.

"Yes, there's something here." Jewel announced. She peered up from that spot. The only crystal in range rested on top of the throne. "Twilight, we need someone who can use dark magic and shoot it at the gem on top of the throne, do you know anyone who can do that."

"No," Twilight frowned. "Dark magic is forbidden in Equestria. It's a lot of voodoo, hexes, and charms, you know fake magic. Real magic is good, and allows you to help others when you need it to help them. I don't know a single mare, stallion, or colt who can perform dark magic."

Blu lowered his head and let out a sigh.

"I'll do it," he sighed. "I was cursed by dark magic back when I was turned evil, I need to focus into that side of myself."

"No!" Jewel refused. "We could lose you. You might not be able to return to your good self again."

"It doesn't matter," Blu admitted. "If I sit here and do nothing we're all going to be destroyed. If I turn into Dark Blu and can't change back, I'll still be destroyed. At least this way I will be able to save everyone else. If I must go down, let it be like this, as a hero."

Blu closed his eyes and drew himself deeper into his heart than he ever allowed himself before. He could feel that little speck of darkness which had been created by Marco so long ago. He raised his wings and allowed himself to slip into the darkness. His eyes opened turning into their cold hard amber form. He formed a wicked smile and grabbed Jewel by the throat.

"Blu, what are you doing?" She choked out.

"Drop her!" Blu's voice came out from his own beak. "We got more important things to worry about, we need to destroy that gem."

Dark Blu raised his wings and focused all the magic he could muster into a ball of energy in his wing. He eyed the gemstone with a cruel expression and threw it with all of his might. The dark ball of energy collided with the gem, corrupting it. It's dark light blew across the room, changing everything. A large stairway descended downwards into a deep pit of blackness. Twilight swallowed a large lump in her throat.

"Okay, looks like it worked." She admitted. "Now might I make a suggestion? I can not see the bottom nor can I tell how far down it goes, I think it would be a good idea to follow safety and do not fall."

Blu fell to the ground and reverted back to his previous form. The kind loving nerd bird he had been. He eyed the stairway and formed a smile.

"Well, it looks like it worked."

"Twilight!"

Twilight, Blu and Jewel turned to the doorway to see Spike gasping for air. He walked into the room and pointed out the window with a single curved claw.

"Things outside are not good, Cadance's magic must be fading faster than ever before."

"How are the crystal ponies?" She asked.

"Not good," Spike reported. "They're scared. They want the crystal heart."

Twilight nodded her head and looked down into the deep pit of black. She again swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Here goes nothing."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Shining Armour peered down at his wife who trembled in his arms. She peered at him through the tiny slits in her eyes. She formed a smile and held a hoof to his face. She looked beautiful, though strangely calm considering everything else happening. Her voice whispered into his ear.

"I-I'm sorry, I did my best."

She closed her eyes and fell unconscious, her body went limp and fell to the ground. Shining Armour's mouth dropped as he peered up at the horizon. The shield itself cracked and shattered into a million pieces, the blue imitation sky grew a dark red. The thick cloud of smoke proceeded inwards to the empire.

"NO!" he shouted. "What can we do now? Cadance, Cadance, wake up! You need to wake up!"

A cruel laughter split through the air drowning out every other sound. The ponies below screamed at the top of their lungs as they realised they're fate. The king who once ruled them had returned.

"Cadance!" Shining Armour shouted. "WAKE UP!"

On the balcony Applejack and Rarity waved their hooves trying to catch everyone's attention.

"Don't you fear, the crystal heart will soon be here, any moment now I reckon."

Rarity glared at Applejack with an unimpressed grin.

"I don't think they believe you."

"Hey," Applejack frowned. "I'm not sure I believe me."

* * *

# # #

* * *

With her natural grace and agility, Twilight had managed to reach the bottom of the stairs before any of her friends. She illuminated her horn and used it as a light. There didn't seem to be much, just a single doorway left abandoned.

"This is it," she frowned. "The crystal heart must be inside."

Using her magic, she opened the doorway and proceeded inside. A bright light enveloped her, bringing her back to Canterlot Castle. Her jaw hung low as she studied the familiar sights of Princess Celestia's throne room.

"What are you doing here?" She heard a voice snap at her.

Twilight spun around to see the Princess stepping around her. She looked angry, bitter, though distressed.

"Princess Celestia, I walked through a doorway thinking the crystal heart was inside… I didn't know it would bring me back here."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Celestia reported. "You must leave here this instant."

"But where should I go?" Twilight asked.

"It doesn't matter to me," Celestia snarled. "YOU FAILED THE TEST!"


	13. Chapter 12: A Hopeless Situation

_**Chapter 12:**_

_**A Hopeless Situation!**_

"It doesn't matter to me," Celestia snarled. "YOU FAILED THE TEST!"

Twilight's jaw dropped at the Princess' words. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes clouded over with painful tears. She couldn't stop them from flooding down the sides of her cheeks. She peered at her mentor who had cared for her most of her life, now there wasn't a single shred of compassion about her. The Princess looked on with a cruel expression, a tyrannical expression, which Twilight could never imagine seeing on her before now.

"B-B-But how? I couldn't have failed. I still have a fighting chance." Twilight pleaded. "I can still find the heart. I know I can, please Princess, give me another chance, I won't fail you again, I promise."

Celestia shook her head and seated herself upon her throne, her eyes hardened as she peered at the unicorn who once stood as her most beloved student.

"No!" She glowered. "You failed the test, that is the end of it. Not only will you not move onto the next level of your studies, you will not be continuing your studies at all. It's over, Twilight. You lose!"

Twilight fell to the floor, her despair evident. She sobbed as she listened to her teacher's words. The hatred in the Princess' voice rang through her ears like a knife piercing through her heart. She couldn't stand it. The pain, she just wanted it all to end. She wanted things to be like they were before, back before she received this stupid test, back before she needed to save the Crystal Empire.

"But you never said anything about me not continuing my studies if I failed." Twilight protested. "You never told me what was so important that I absolutely needed to succeed. Why did you keep that a secret from me?"

"Didn't I?" Celestia arched a curious eyebrow. "Or is it that you just didn't listen to my words close enough."

Twilight ran from the room with all the strength she could muster. She ran through the many hallways of the castle until she collapsed on the floor of the great hall. She peered at the stain glass windows, at all of her accomplishments. The defeat of Night Mare Moon, the defeat of Discord, Shining Armour and Cadance defeating Chrysalis, her eyes focused on the fourth one, a new window pane added recently that she never recognised. It's bright red glasswork etched the story of a black entity sealing her away. IT claiming victory over the crystal ponies… the failure which brought her here to this exact moment.

"It's true," she sobbed. "I failed the crystal ponies, I failed my brother, I failed Blu and Jewel, I failed my friends, I failed my test, I failed everything. Its no wonder Celestia hates me. So many lives have been ruined because I never could find that stupid crystal heart. I never had a chance to find it."

"TWILIGHT!"

Twilight awakened to find herself back in the chamber deep beneath the throne room. The door slammed shut, bringing her out of her trance. She turned around in time to see Spike, Blu, and Jewel finishing their decent into the chamber, their eyes wide with fright as she held a hoof to her head.

"Are you okay?" Blu asked.

"Oh Twilight, I'm sorry, I was trying to call you but you were so far ahead and you wouldn't respond so we hurried up and we found you staring at a wall in a comatose state and you would not respond…."

Jewel held a wing up to silence the dragon who seemed to be crying as he explained everything to his best friend. She formed a reassuring smile and nodded her head. She peered at Twilight who still seemed groggy from the effects with the doorway. Though she said nothing, she knew exactly what Twilight had witnessed, because she too had experienced its effects.

"What Spike means is, he was worried about you." Jewel announced.

"What were you staring at anyways?" Spike asked, he walked towards the door and opened it up. "It's just a wall on the other side of it."

Suddenly the dragon let out a horrified gasp. He began to back away, his eyes wide with fright. Tears formed in his eyes, his claws drew to his face.

"Ponyville?" he gasped. "How'd we get here… NO! TWILIGHT! Please don't leave me, I still need you, Twilight!"

Twilight slammed the door shut bringing Spike back to reality, her eyes widened in horror as she realised the door's true intentions. She bent down beside Spike who still sobbed from his experience.

"It's the king's dark magic," She explained. "This is a doorway that leads to your worst fears."

"You told me you didn't need me anymore," Spike explained, his eyes filling with tears again, his lower lip trembling. "You were sending me away. You didn't care about me anymore, you said you didn't need me anymore."

Twilight bent down and wrapped her hooves around the baby dragon. She shed a couple of tears and cuddled him for a few seconds.

"Oh Spike, that is a fear that'll never come true. I could never send you away for any reason. You are my friend… and you know what, I am not failing this test either. We're going through this door, and we're finding that heart!"

Twilight sparked her horn and drew in all the magic her body could muster without exhausting herself. She threw it at the door and forced it open. Without a word she pushed Blu, Jewel, and Spike through into the next chamber. Their eyes widened as they took in the sight of it, they were in the tower just above the Empire, above them stretched miles and miles of stairs.

"That's a lot of stairs," Blu gasped.

"Thank goodness we can fly," Jewel smiled.

"No," Twilight shook her head, "we're going to do this the right way. We're climbing."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Shining Armour shook his wife in desperation, he listened to the panicking screams of his subjects as they ran through the empire trying to get away from the thick cloud of smoke. Pitch black crystals rose out of the ground, causing tremors and earthquakes every few seconds. The blood red sky sparkled as he tried to form his own protective shield to keep the monster out. The dark crystals embedded in his horn however zapped his strength keeping his use of magic limited.

"Cadance! Wake up, you need to wake up!" he shouted. "Everyone here is counting on you!"

The pitch black smoke rose out of the ground like a snake, dark green eyes and blood red irises formed revealing a transparent unicorn head. Its horn formed as it cackled menacingly. It's voice rang out as it addressed the ponies who ran with fright. The deep serious tone of the voice sent a cold chill down every pony's spine. Their fear brought him more and more power.

"Yesssssssss, my crystal slavesssssss"

"We are not your slaves!" Rarity yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash agreed, she would have sprung forward but found Applejack grabbing her tail.

"Whoa Nelly, haven't you realised that hasn't worked once. This guy is too powerful fer you to do anything foolish. We must trust Twilight, and hope she can bring that there crystal heart."

"Cryssssssstal Heart." The unicorn hissed.

"Great," Rarity frowned. "Now he knows."

"Oops, my bad." Applejack frowned.

"Really, AJ, you must stop ruining our plans. Try keeping your mouth shut."

All three ponies looked up at the menacing creature, they couldn't stop him, not until Twilight found that heart. They each formed nervous smiles and attempted to keep the crystal ponies calm, though deep down they too were terrified.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu collapsed on the stairs, panting heavily as he struggled for breath. He wasn't used to all the exercise. He peered up at the many miles of stairs to go. They didn't seem to end. They stretched upwards vanishing as they became too small to be seen. He looked back at Spike who also struggled to catch his breath, he held up a single curved claw and asked Twilight a question.

"You know Twilight, what if this is more of this guys magic?" He asked. "He can make a doorway that leads to your worst nightmare, so what if he made this a stairway that goes on forever?"

Twilight peered upwards and nodded her head. She looked at Blu and Jewel, before turning to Spike.

"You might have a point, Blu and Jewel, you may fly if you want too, as for you Spike, hold onto me. I'm going to cast another spell."

Spike ran to his friend's side and climbed on. He looked at the macaws who spread their wings ready to fly.

"We'll meet you at the top," Twilight smiled. "One, Two, Three, Let's go."

The world itself seemed to turn upside down, Twilight hooves slid across the smooth pavement of the overturned stairs. She laughed and did a couple of tricks with her gracefulness. She laughed aloud.

"I spent some time studying gravity spells in case they were ever on one of Celestia's tests. Now it'll get us to the top of that tower… as it turns out, I was prepared for this one!"

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight flew like a cannon when she reached the top of the tower, using her horn she found herself landing on the ground with a sickening crash. She peered around at the scenery, Blu and Jewel came in for a landing, they're eyes focused only on one thing, and it wasn't the fabulous crystal heart in the middle of an altar. Instead they looked past that, at a prisoner locked in a force field. They both fluttered towards it, their jaws dropped, their eyes filling to the brim with tears. At long last they had found her... at long last they found their daughter.

"Rose!" Jewel muttered with disbelief. "Is that you?"  
The young female macaw stood up on her talons and shook away the stiffness from sitting for hours. She peered out at her parents, uncertain of whether or not they were real or some cruel illusion. She nodded her head.

"Yes, mom" she replied with a smile. "Is that really you?"

Twilight ran over to her and zapped the force field with her magic. The barrier faded and died, releasing the young female macaw who dropped like a stone to the hard floor. She wiped the smile off of her face and peered at Twilight, who crept closer towards the crystal heart. Her eyes widened in horror, she held up a wing to try and stop her.

"No, don't!"

The very second Twilight stepped into the circle, an alarm sounded followed by a large wall of sharp pitch black crystals. The crystal heart itself toppled to the ground, free and clear though out of her grasp. She let out a horrified sigh and seated herself upon the ground.

"How could I be so stupid," she frowned. "I was just so eager to get it. I never thought it would have been booby trapped."

"Twilight, you have to teleport out of there," Spike commanded. "You're the one who has to take the heart to Cadance to save the Empire, or you'll fail Celestia's test. You're the one who has to assist in saving the Empire. That is the reason you're here. Now hurry up and get yourself free."

Twilight sparked her horn and teleported herself, but found herself zapped right back into the containing wall of crystals. She let out a horrified sigh, and lowered her head. From where she sat, she could see the destruction of the Empire as it became more and more corrupted by the monster attacking it.

"YOU'RE TRAPPED, HAHAHAHA" a voice called to her, "YOU'RE DOOMED!"

Twilight's eyes widened in horror as she heard the voice for the first time, she recognised it from the room where Celestia gave her the assignment. Her jaw dropped as she realised that the monster itself was her brother, the unicorn named King Sombra. She rose herself onto her feet, and peered at Spike, Blu, and Jewel.

"I can't get out, the three of you are going to need to take the crystal to Cadance. I'll be fine, go!"

"But you'll fail!" Spike protested. "Celestia will banish you from your studies, you'll lose your magic, you'll…"

"GO!" Twilight demanded a second time. "It doesn't matter. The Empire will fall if you don't get moving! Three worlds will be destroyed, and he won't stop there, he'll continue to spread until there's nothing left… GO!"

Spike nodded his head and proceeded towards the heart but stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed sharp crystal spikes rising from the ground. He couldn't move forward towards Twilight, not without piercing himself and causing any bodily harm to himself.

"Don't move," Twilight commanded, "You can move, just not towards me, go around and get the heart, it's your only chance."

Spike nodded and did as he was bidden. He ran around the tower clutching the heart. Sharp jagged pieces of crystal began to form on the edges of the tower, the support restraints started to snap and collapse. He fell backwards falling off the ledge, with the heart in hand.

Rarity looked up to see the dragon falling to his demise. She gasped in shock and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"My Spiky Whikey!"

Shining Armour bent down and raised Cadance onto his back. He bowed his head low and took careful precision for the heart.

"Forgive me if this doesn't work, my love." He said to her.

Without a second left, he threw her off the balcony with all of his might. The feel of the breeze, the sweet smell of freedom flowed through her, reviving her. She opened her eyes and spread her wings, catching both Spike and the heart with a single pass. She eyed the commotion on the ground and noticed the smoke forming into a single flesh and blood entity. Her eyes widened as she recognised him as her father.

"Sombra!" She gasped. "It can't be."

Within seconds she landed on the ground and tossed the heart towards the center of the castle. Two diamond pistons rose from the ground catching it in mid air. She smiled and raised a hoof to her subjects.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, I am your princess. You have returned after a thousand years, use the love and compassion within you to make sure that Sombra does not! This is your chance to change your fates, this is the time to stand up for yourselves, do it now, and freedom is yours."

The crystal ponies stopped in their tracks and bowed to the ground in honour of their beloved Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armour. The ground began to glow as the crystal heart enveloped them, basking them in a mystical light. Cadance raised her hoof towards Sombra and glared at her father.

"You're time of ruling is at an end. You will never hurt another creature again. The crystal ponies have spoken."

King Sombra peered around, the light began to overtake him. He couldn't fight it off. His body began to crack, his armoured body began to chink and ware down. He couldn't form any words to say. He stared at his daughter who he'd never seen in his life, who now could over take him.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He screeched, "STOP! I WON'T LET YOU BEAT ME!"

"You have no say in this, Dark King!" Cadance glared at him, "It's over for you."

The crystal heart erupted one final time, blowing its magic across the entire empire. Streams of rainbow coloured light filled the air. With that, Sombra's body disintegrated into tiny shards, the black smoke evaporated, leaving nothing of the evil in the area. Cadance let out a satisfied gasp and collapsed to the ground.

"It's over," she smiled, "Finally, I could probably use a nice bubble bath and a good night's sleep."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Rico grabbed hold of Rose's wing and winked at her. He nudged her and pointed a talon at Blu who looked exhausted after the long drawn out battle with the evil King Sombra. The two birds stifled a giggle as they headed towards the train.

"So," he said, "You were at the top of the tower the entire time. Who would have known, you would have thought a great and powerful evil would have been smarter and much harder to stop."

"Easy," Blu gasped. "You call that easy? We almost lost that fight."

"But we didn't" Rico countered. "We kicked that phoney king's tail feathers, he won't be messing with us again."

Twilight let out a heartfelt sigh and shook her head. She eyed her brother and Cadance who walked beside her.

"You must learn to quit saving my butt like this," Shining Armour grinned. "It's starting to get embarrassing."

"It wasn't me who saved us," Twilight announced. "It was Blu, Jewel, and Spike. I failed Celestia's test, it wasn't me who saved the Empire. I'll probably lose my magic, or be banished from Equestria."

"Twilight," Shining Armour intervened. "It is only a test, maybe she'll let you retake it."

She shook her head.

"I don't think she will."

"I do," Blu interrupted. "If it wasn't for you Twilight, we never would have made it past that doorway that brings your fears to light. We never would have made it up those stairs. You did a lot to save the Empire."

"Yeah," Twilight nodded still a little unsure. "I guess you're right."

* * *

# # #

* * *

_**Two days later in Canterlot**_

Twilight bowed her head low as Princess Celestia studied the newly formed stained glass window. Outside she could still see the delicate streams of light seeping from the tower where Sombra had been defeated. Her eyes narrowed and shifted onto her student.

"This is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen in my life." She smiled. "And I owe it all to you and your friends."

"That's just it," Twilight frowned. "I didn't pass the test, it wasn't me who saved the Crystal Empire. I failed you."

Celestia smiled and let out a cheerful laugh at the unicorn's antics.

"Where did you ever get that idea. Twilight, from my understanding you told Spike, Blu, and Jewel to deliver the heart to Princess Cadance because you weren't sure how fast you would be able to escape from the tower."

Twilight nodded her head.

"Twilight, you weren't willing to risk the future of the crystal ponies. You made a self sacrifice knowing the potential risk that I could take your magic away from you… yet you gave the ponies a way to save themselves even if you yourself weren't able to deliver it in person. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think having a student who knows the importance of making a self sacrifice rather than just looking out for her own needs and desires is something special, you showed something that very few would know how to do in that situation. You've impressed me."

Twilight forced a smile and peered up at her teacher.

"Does that mean I-"

"Yes, I think it does, you've passed the test."

* * *

# # #

* * *

The gathered mass of creatures outside waited for the results of Twilight's test. The unicorn seemed to be taking a long time, and Spike began to grow more than a little nervous. He placed his claws together and paced along the staircase. He couldn't take his eyes off the building, any more than he could get himself to stop moving.

"I passed!" Twilight cheered, she ran to her friends with all of her excitement. "I really passed!"

The group of creatures applauded her accomplishment, especially the macaws who'd been there to witness everything from the start. Rarity took a single step forward and began to sing a victorious melody for her friend.

**_"You were prepared to do your best_**

**_Had what it takes to pass the test_**

**_All the fears you can dismiss_**

**_Turns out you were prepared for this!"_**

Jewel and Applejack jumped into the fray and sang the next line.

_**"You clearly had just what it takes**_

_**To pass a test with such high stakes"**_

Blu, Rico, Rose, and the ponies all joined in.

_**"All the goodness you did prevailed**_

_**Since when does Twilight Sparkle ever fail?**_

_**All your fears you can dismiss**_

_**Trust yourself, you can not miss**_

_**But you really were (yes I was)**_

_**You really were (yes I was)**_

_**You really were prepared for this!"**_

* * *

# # #

* * *

Not far from the Crystal Empire, King Sombra rose from the ashes, he groaned and peered at the castle which he failed to claim. His jagged teeth ground together, his dark eyes hardened as he became more determined to finish off the crystal ponies. He wouldn't let this one victory get him down. He would be back again. Without a word he spun around to see Chrsyalis and Discord standing behind him. He formed a wicked smile and laughed.

"It's about time you showed up," he snarled. "Don't you realise I was almost destroyed, if I hadn't been able to teleport at the last second, I would not have been able to survive. How is your mission proceeding?"

Discord raised his long lion paw to his forehead in a salute. He bowed his head low and addressed his master.

"All is going as planned, the great equestrian war is about to begin. We'll see what those ponies are made out of, when they are forced to defend themselves in a battle of chaotic proportions."


	14. Chapter 13: A New Beginning

_**Chapter 13:**_

**_A New Beginning!_**

Twilight Sparkle paced around her library in Ponyville. Her eyes fell upon the reunited spix's macaws who seemed so happy as they continued to hug their daughter and look her over for injuries. The young female squawked and attempted to free herself but found it next to impossible to escape the clutches of her parents. Twilight formed a smile though deep down she didn't feel very comfortable with the idea of having Rose around. She couldn't place her hoof upon it, but there was something about her that didn't add up. How come out of anyone, she would be the one who was brought to the tower with the crystal heart, be left unattended in a force field that could be broken so easily. She lowered her head fighting the urge to say something, but she knew that from the way King Sombra operated during his attempt at taking over the Crystal Kingdom, he didn't seem to be the kind of person who would make any sort of foolish mistakes.

"Could she really be King Sombra's spy?" She found herself asking in a hushed whisper. "Could she actually be filling him in with information? I mean what if he isn't gone forever? What if he still exists in some form? Should we be treating her like an enemy instead of a friend? I wish I knew what to do."

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Twilight stopped as she heard the loud knock at the door. Without wasting another moment with her suspicions with Rose, she charged for the door and opened it with her magic. Her eyes widened as she noticed Princess Luna standing in the doorway. The sun reflected off her dark blue coat, her pitch black wings spread wide as she peered at the young unicorn. She didn't seem to be smiling very much, her eyes peered out with little emotion at all. Twilight always admired Luna ever since she had been transformed back from Night Mare Moon, but the female's sense of friendliness and social skills certainly lacked something which could be desired.

"Princess Luna," Twilight formed a nervous smile. "What are you doing here? It's been such a long time."

Princess Luna stepped into the large library and eyed the gathered creatures. All of the ponies bowed their heads respectfully though a little more nervous with the Princess of the night so close to them. As much as they tried to respect her, they still feared her, and remembered the days when she tried to bring eternal night and destroy the elements of harmony. The macaws stood in silence, not sure of what to say or do with the newcomer.

"Twilight Sparkle, thou has come to train under me." Princess Luna explained. "My sister has requested that I lead you into the next phase of your training. You have much to learn under my teachings. Magic which could never be learned from the side of sunlight… a poised and elegant style of magic which serves more for the battle senses and loneliness which derives from the moon."

Luna chanced a peak at the spix's macaws who watched her in silence. She frowned and turned to Twilight and her friends.

"Perhaps thou shall wish to continue this conversation in private? Where we shall not be disturbed by strangers who are unfamiliar with our traditional ways of magic or sacrifice…"

Twilight formed an awkward smile and turned to her new friends. Blu cocked his head to one side as he tried to decipher the olden day language that the Princess spoke. Twilight teleported to his side and bowed her head in respect for him and everything he did for her during the Crystal Empire.

"I'm sorry, Blu," She apologized. "Princess Luna isn't the most socially capable amongst ponies. She was locked away in the moon for one thousand years, and she lived a life of evil, with no love or friendship. She hasn't gotten used to being a good creature again."

Princess Luna formed a smile and tried to hold out her hoof. She lowered her head, her eyes narrowed in a sorrowful regretful fashion. She knew Twilight held a point, she couldn't get used to the whole idea of making friends, or how to treat everyone around her. The way she lived a thousand years ago and the way she lived now seemed like two completely different personas.

"I am sorry," She said, "I did not know you, and my behaviour was shameful amongst us. I apologize. Would you like to watch Twilight's training? I could save you a couple of seats if that is what you want me to do."

Blu shook his head, though he smiled appreciatively at the dark mare. She didn't seem to be comfortable talking to him, and he could understand her flaws. He after all came from a similar background of being misunderstood and underappreciated. He held out a wing and met her hoof as a peace treating.

"Thanks for the offer," he said. "But I think you and Twilight deserve some time alone. Any lessons you attempt to teach her should be her central focus with no interruptions."

Luna nodded her head and formed a smile. Something about this bird sparked a curiosity in her. She peered into his eyes and nodded her head.

"Thank you, blue macaw. Thou has shown me a great respect, in turn I shall show the same to you, it is the way of the royals, and I swear my allegiance to you, should you ever need it someday."

"No offence," Blu frowned. "But let's hope I never need any help. I can't imagine being put into more mortal danger than I've already been in."

Both ponies left the room and hurried off to begin Twilight's training. Blu let out a sigh and shook his head. The remainder of Twilight's friends stared in shock at his dismissal of the Princess' offer, their jaws hung open. Jewel too found herself in a state of disbelief.

"Why did you do that?" She asked. "I thought you would want to study magic a little more."

Blu shook his head.

"I've been dealing with too much magic lately." He admitted. "I think it would be a better idea if we left her alone for now, who knows maybe she'll find a way to return us home."

"Do you think our home is okay?" Jewel asked. "Do you think those horrible creatures really destroyed it?"

"No," Blu shook his head. He watched Jewel seat herself and grow more comfortable. Before long she had drifted off into a quiet slumber. Blu peered out at the sky and frowned, he didn't have the heart to tell her what he really thought. "False hope is better than no hope at all. Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever be able to see our home again."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Shining Armour stretched the stiffness from his body and entered the large crystal throne room. He eyed the calm blue sky and smiled. After all this time, it still felt wonderful to be free from being stuck inside of a protective bubble. The natural feel of the wind and the glare of the clear blue sky couldn't be matched by any mere illusion. The crisp arctic air filled him with life. Although he came from someplace warm, he wouldn't really trade this place for anything else in the world.

"I hope Cadance is having a good rest." He smiled. "After all the effort she put into keeping the crystal ponies safe, she certainly could use it. I really hope we never have to go through something like that again."

Shining Armour seated himself upon his throne, and kept his eyes on the passing world. The gemstone buildings sparkled in the sunlight, so did the crystal ponies as they continued on with their daily lives. He let out an amused sigh, and turned only when he heard the throne room doors slam open, his eyes widened as he saw a member of Celestia's royal guard stumble into the room and collapsed to the ground. He came alert and rushed over to the injured creature.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing the wound. "This looks bad… can you hear me? Try to give me an answer but avoid moving,"

The guard groaned, and eyed him for a moment before cutting himself a wicked smile. In a single move, he pushed the colt to the ground and transformed himself into a changeling. The ugly black bug like horse hissed and showed its sharp jagged fangs. It's eyes glared out, unblinking or moving off of its target.

"No!" He gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here for the Empire," a voice chuckled. Shining Armour turned almost immediately and found himself staring face to face with Discord. He jumped back and readied himself for battle. Having been captain of Princess Celestia's royal guards, he knew how to defend himself even without a weapon, and he certainly knew about Discord's weird power of altering reality.

"But that's impossible, Twilight sealed you in stone with the elements of harmony."

Discord formed a cocky smile and nodded his head. He teleported to the colt's side and wiped a single curved claw down the imprints in his face.

"True, but harmony can be broken." He said. "Remember, I am the spirit of chaos and disharmony… hello… for a guard you certainly are dense. Now will you give us the empire, or will we have to do this the hard way?"

Shining Armour shook his head and broke into a full forced sprint. He charged out of the throne room and headed for Cadance's room. He could hear Discord's breathing behind him, as well as his voice screeching out at him.

"Bring him to me, and go fetch that pretty little wife of his as well. They must not get away."

Within the next few seconds, the hallways became mass chaos. Shining Armour's eyes narrowed as he focused more on the task at hand. He needed to reach Cadance before any other creature could lay their hooves on her. She controlled the crystal heart, as well as some of the strongest magic he'd ever seen. He could hear the screeching of the changelings as they chased him in hot pursuit.

He kicked over a large pillar and watched it crumble leaving the passage blocked with debris. He formed a smile and nodded his head.

"Let's see you follow me now," he sighed. "That should bide me a little bit of time."

Shining Armour swallowed a lump in his throat and turned his attention back on making it to his wife. He wouldn't let them reach her. Without wasting another moment, he forced himself into a full forced sprint.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Cadance slept content in her bed, still exhausted from her long battle against evil. She still looked pale and very weak. Chrysalis formed a wicked smile and eyed the sleeping beauty. Her eyes burned murderously, she had longed for this moment ever since her defeat at this Pegasus Unicorn's own hooves. Without a word she worked her way over and slammed her hoof down on Cadance's neck.

Almost immediately the princess came awake. She struggled but couldn't free herself from Chrysalis' firm grip. The evil changeling queen's dark green eyes burned into hers, they glowed like wildfire, indicating her unpredictable temper and her intentions for her.

"Shhhhhh," Chrysalis soothed. "Aren't you glad to see your old friend?"

Cadance struggled to speak, she could only make a sort of choking sound in the back of her throat. Chrysalis cackled and tightened her grip in order to add more suffering to the princess.

"Don't speak," Chrysalis smiled. "I think you should be the first to know. We've taken control of your empire."


	15. Chapter 14: Chrysalis Strikes Back

_**Chapter 14:**_

**_Chrysalis Strikes Back_**

Blu, Jewel, and the two young macaws in their company seated themselves in the upper sanction of Twilight's library. None of them said a word as Blu peered out at the strange world. Even after everything they'd been through, he still couldn't get used to the fact that he wasn't in Rio, he wasn't in the comforts of his home, and he held no knowledge on where the remainder of his friends and family were. He let out a heartfelt sigh and placed a wing upon the nearest wall. His puffy blue crown sagged as he forced himself to turn and face Jewel.

"We need to form some sort of plan," he admitted. "I mean uh if uh you know, just in case we can't get back home. It would always be a good idea to prepare for the worst case scenario. We could be stuck here for a while."

Jewel lowered her head at the thought. The idea often crossed her mind, though she didn't want to speak about such things. She wanted to believe that there would always be a possibility that they would see their home again. Her sapphire eyes filled with conflict, her tail feathers fell upon the floor and swished up a thick coating of dust. Blu frowned at the sight.

"Linda never kept her library like this," Blu noted. "We always cleaned, and we always cared for the books not left them lying around on the floor. Everything around here is just too weird. The ponies are nice enough and I love them all, but I am beginning to feel homesick..."

Jewel, Rico, and Rose nodded their heads in complete agreement. None of them could ever deny that they missed their way of life… as boring as it was compared to the life of the ponies in Equestria.

"Let's try and gather some information," Blu suggested. "Maybe if we figure out everything that we all experienced it will tell us the whole story, right now we only know a little bit, but there must be more missing pieces to this puzzle."

"But to find those pieces-" Rico began to protest, he fell silent as he caught sight of Rose who peered at him.

"We're going to need to find the others." Blu finished. "For the meantime, we should stick with Twilight and her friends. They know more about this place than all of us combined. It is always a good idea to be cautious."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Princess Luna watched the magical beam of energy form around Twilight's horn, her eyes remained stoic and rather unimpressed at the spectacle. Within seconds the young unicorn fired the beam into the nearest tree knocking a small bird out of its nest to the ground below. Twilight formed an awkward smile, not sure of what to think about Luna's teachings… they were after all so much different than what she knew with Celestia, and nothing about Luna's teaching style came from any book she knew.

The princess of the night nodded her head and proceeded to Twilight's side. She never smiled, nor did she make any acknowledgement on anything. She studied the bird for a moment and spread her black feathered wings wide.

"Twilight Sparkle, thou hast some great magical abilities." Luna explained. "But thou hast no focus nor do you have discipline. To control the magic I can teach you, you need to learn more, and never stop in your learning or growing in power."

"Oh I will, Princess," Twilight boasted with a confident stance. "I won't ever stop learning, and I'll always have more to learn."

Luna shook her head and took a single step forward. She peered off to the northern horizon. Her eyes filled with tears as she began to speak some more. She never turned back to face Twilight, her eyes became transfixed at the horizon, towards the crystal empire.

"Why I have returned too is not found in any book, Twilight Sparkle." Luna explained. "There are evils out there that can not be beaten by simple magic. You have faced one, and you were nearly defeated. You know him as King Sombra, but he is so much more than you could ever understand."

Twilight's eyes widened at the Princess' serious mood, even for Luna's usual demeanour, the princess seemed a little more uneasy and restless than usual. Twilight scanned the words through her mind for a moment, could Luna be giving her some kind of warning? Could Luna be preparing her for something down the road? Something that she couldn't defeat right now with her current abilities in magic?

"But we beat King Sombra, didn't we?"

"Perhaps," Luna nodded. "Did you see him be destroyed with your own two eyes? Did you see any sign that he could still be out there somewhere? You destroyed his body, but how do you know If you destroyed his spirit? Those are the kinds of questions you need to learn to ask if you are to ever achieve the power I can grant you. Without them, you have no chance."

Twilight swallowed a large lump in her throat. Her fears began to rise. She peered out towards the horizon, she wasn't sure if there would be a looming darkness, but something told her that she needed to be extra careful and take Luna's teachings very seriously.

* * *

# # #

* * *

The doors to Cadance's bedroom gave off a mighty crack as they burst open and Shining Armour sprang through on all four of his mighty hooves. Despite all of his agility and stamina, he panted as he scanned the room and focused on Cadance who stood on the furthest wall from him. She stood in darkness, with no candles burning, or light given off by her horn, she didn't seem to be too bothered by his interruption or by his presence.

She smiled at him and began to approach. Her sweet perfume filled the air, her innocence sent his heart into a fluttering sensation. He loved being near his wife, there was just something about her that made him feel lucky to have her all for his own. He stood up tall as she swayed her tail against his.

"Ah, there you are. I've missed you." Cadance teased. "How are you tonight, dear?"

Shining Armour smiled and hugged his wife. The feel of her body against his felt so soothing, he could not resist her… he could imagine what Twilight would say if she had been here right at this minute. She would be teasing him, and making sure that he would be blushing. The thought of it brought a certain rosiness to his cheeks, and caused him to chuckle.

"Well," Cadance smiled. "Aren't you going to answer me? I am all yours, aren't I?"

"Yes," Shining Armour nodded his head, seconds before he noticed a certain difference about her. The earrings of the royal family which she wore as a reminder of her responsibility towards the crystal ponies appeared to be on the wrong sides of her face. His eyes widened as he focused more on the details of his bride. Certain factors about her weren't correct. The chipped tooth she'd received during the battle with Chrysalis, her golden horse shoes, they all seemed to be reversed, as if she'd come from a mirror. Within seconds he jumped back and powered up his horn ready to attack. His eyes narrowed. He glared at the imposter.

"You're not my wife, you're not my Cadance… who are you? I demand that you reveal yourself now, changeling."

Cadance began to pout, her hoof drew towards his face as if stung by his words. Tears welled in her eyes.

"I can't believe you would say something like that to me," she began, her body twisted and changed shape into a slim thick black though imposing figure. He recognised this changeling. His eyes widened in horror as she began to cackle. "And to think after everything we've been through, where is the love? You and I were almost married if you remember correctly."

"That is only because you kidnapped Cadance and pretended to be her, changeling!" Shining Armour snarled. "We may not have been able to defeat you the first time, but nothing in Equestria is going to save you from me this time. I will see you destroyed for everyone you hurt."

Chrysalis cackled again and shook her head.

"Oh I don't think so," she grinned. "You are the captain of the royal guard and now you are the prince of the Crystal Empire, you don't have what it takes to be a murderer. You can never hurt me, it is not in your character. I can use your emotions against you to feed and grow more powerful… and unless you want me to start taking it out on your beloved subjects, you would do well to remember that I am in complete control here."

"What do you want?" Shining Armour sighed in defeat. "I'll do anything just don't hurt Cadance or the crystal ponies."

Chrysalis cackled again and fluttered to the unicorn's side. She leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I want you, and me, to rule side by side… as husband and wife."

Shining Armour cringed at the cold feel of Chrysalis' body slinking against his. Her soulless body seemed bitter and cold, there wasn't the warmth that would come from any other species of pony. The smooth jet black skin felt leathery, almost like a serpent sliding along the ground. He shuddered, and nodded his head.

"I agree on two conditions." He said, "The first is that you let Cadance go, the second is that not one of you is to harm her. She must be allowed to go wherever she wants, and begin a new life for herself. Do those two things or you haven't got a deal. Do you agree?"

Chrysalis nodded her head.

"Agreed, but in return, you must never see her again. She is as good as dead to you… oh and she must leave the Crystal Empire, I don't want that filthy Alicorn trespassing in my kingdom."

Shining Armour nodded.

"Agreed, just show her to me, and let me say my goodbyes."

In two speedy movements, Chrysalis launched herself into the air and slashed at a thick green cocoon. The real Princess Cadance slid from the damaged chrysalis chamber and fell to the ground with a sickening thud. She peered out at him, her heart breaking as he lifted her up onto her hooves.

"Listen to me," he whispered. "For the time being Chrysalis has taken control of the Empire, you must run and tell Celestia that the Empire has fallen. I am sure that she'll send someone to aid us… we will be together again, I promise."

Shining Armour leaned in and planted a passionate kiss on Cadance's muzzle. Both unicorns shed tears as they parted ways.

"I love you," Cadance frowned.

"Don't answer that," Chrysalis grinned. "Or you have no deal… I hope you had one good final look, you'll never see her again."


	16. Chapter 15: A Difficult Royal Decision

_**Chapter 15:**_

_**A Difficult Royal Decision!**_

Cadance collapsed as she entered Celestia's main throne room, her tears erupted down leaving damp impressions across the crevices of her face. She trembled as she fought to control her shattered emotions, made even worse by her tattered and torn heart which now broke with the memory of what happened. The pink alicorn cut a pathetic image which drew Celestia's attention almost immediately. This wasn't the Cadance she knew, the young girl had always been so happy, so loving, and nothing ever got her down, except for that one time with Chrysalis.

"Princess Cadance, what is wrong?" Celestia asked peering down at the young girl. Without a second to waste, she wrapped her large white wings around the girl and pulled her to her hooves. Celestia smiled reassuring, though deeply concerned for the young girl. She closed her muzzle and waited for a quick response.

"It's Shining Armour," Cadance sobbed, "He left me… he left me… he left me for another…"

Celestia shook her head with disbelief, her eyes narrowed in confusion. She peered up at the stained glass windows which adorned her great hall. Every one told an important story of Equestria's struggles and victories, but her eyes focused on one in particular, the one with Cadance and Shining Armour floating in the air, fusing into a heart, below them a defeated Chrysalis lay like a coward at their hooves. She re-called the story, how their love put waste to Chrysalis' plans of destruction. If it hadn't been for their true love, Canterlot would have fallen to the changelings. None of them would have survived.

"You must be mistaken." Celestia informed her, "Shining Armour would never leave you. He has a selfless heart, a caring demeanour, and is the wisest colt in my royal guard. You two have been together since you were just a filly, and have been inseparable ever since."

Cadance nodded her head in agreement and let out a horrified sigh. Her eyes filled with tears and again, she lurched forward into Celestia's chest and sobbed with a great sorrow which even caused Celestia to feel a little bit of the princess' horrible grief. Her frown deepened with each passing second.

"I know," Cadance sobbed. "That is why he left me… he did it… he did it… he did it for our people."

"You're people?" Celestia arched a curious eyebrow. "Cadance, I know it's hard, but can you tell me everything from the beginning. What happened? Why did Shining Armour leave you for your people?"

Cadance stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Chrysalis attacked us," Cadance announced. "Shining Armour sacrificed himself and our relationship in order to protect the entire population of crystal ponies. He told me to tell you that the Crystal Empire has fallen, and requests that you help. I know that horrible monster is doing something horrible to him! She's feeding on him! I just know it in my heart! He's going to die!"

Celestia turned to her nearest guard who stood near the doorway. He saluted as her eyes fell upon him.

"Soldier, go and get some paper and my quill-feathered pen, and be very quick. The fate of Equestria depends on it."

Her eyes fell upon another guard.

"Have the guards doubled with twenty four hours watch, have them change regularly at the walls. Do not let anyone into Canterlot unless I give you specific instructions. Only Twilight Sparkle, her Ponyville friends, and her new bird friends may enter here. Do I make myself clear?"

The guards saluted and hurried off to do as their princess commanded. The first guard returned not long after and placed a quill-feathered pen and a large scroll of paper down on the ground. Without a word, Celestia used her magic to levitate the pen and begin to write.

"Dear, Twilgiht

You and your friends must report to Canterlot immediately, we have a bit of an emergency at hand. Do NOT tell anyone except for your friends and make sure they keep it to themselves as well. We do not want to cause a panic.

Princess Celestia."

Without another word, she used her magic to zap the letter to Ponyville. She eyed the sky and noted the weird colour beginning to take affect. The sky flickered blood red and the occasional orangey yellow. She shuddered at the thought of what she needed to do, but nothing else could be done. She lowered her head and shed a single grey tear. This would be the hardest decision she ever had to make.

"I hope you forgive me, Equestria." She sighed. "May all of you forgive me."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight, Luna, Blue, Jewel, and the rest of the group all entered the throne room. Their eyes focused upon Princess Celestia and Cadance who stood at the end of the long walkway, their eyes serious with a no nonsense attitude which caused even Luna to be concerned towards the so called emergency that Celestia warned them about. They each looked up at the sky, noting the flickering colours. Blu trembled as he recalled the exact time and place he saw such a thing… back when King Sombra had been defeated, and the Crystal Empire remained safe.

"Uh oh," he gulped. "I don't like the looks of this."

"Twilight, I am glad that you have come, we all have some important matters to discuss. We have problems, real big problems."

Luna eyed her sister and took her position beside the leader of Equestria. She swallowed a large lump in her throat, somehow she knew she wouldn't like what her older sister needed to say.

"We have reasons to believe that the Crystal Empire has fallen once again. Not by King Sombra, but by a different enemy… one that I believe you have met before. Her name is Queen Chrysalis, and you know her as the changeling queen. She is the same queen who tried to ruin your brother's wedding and destroy all of Equestria. Now she may have succeeded."

"May have succeeded?" Twilight asked. "How is that possible?"

"Due to the seriousness of the situation, I have no choice. The danger is too great and all of Equestria could suffer if Chrysalis wins. It is with a heavy heart and a great sadness that I must initiate a call to war for all of Equestria. I am giving each of you command of your own squadrons, each with some of the best guards I have at my command. Use them well, try and recruit others, and if you happen to learn of anything about friendship, use it, for it could save us all from the darkness that lies ahead. Remember my little ponies, and their newfound friends from another world, there is no wrong in fighting for what's right. It is needless killing, needless bloodshed, and needless violence that is wrong. Can I count on you to do the right thing?"

Twilight formed an awkward smile and peered at her friends. She didn't know what to say or what to do. The call to war filled her with a bit of fright. She remembered the last war Equestria had, The Great Equestrian War, one thousand years ago when the Pegasus, Unicorn, and Earth Pony races united. Now it seemed history was repeating itself, much for the worse. She lowered her head and sighed.

"Yes," she admitted. "You can count on us, Princess."

"Good," Celestia frowned, she leaned in closer to Twilight, "don't worry, things will return to normal soon and you'll be able to continue with your studies. In fact I have already hired a general who served my father during his rein on the throne. He has the reputation of being a powerful and great strategist. May I introduce you to my oldest friend, General Silversun."

Twilight followed Celestia's gaze to yet another alicorn, he stood as an imposing figure, dressed in chainmail armour, his slick silver body and hazel eyes never moved off the young unicorn. He formed a pleasant smile and bowed his head towards the young lady. His eyes secretly scanned across the entire collection of ponies, birds, and the princesses.

"So you're Twilight Sparkle, a pony who has been to the legendary Crystal Empire. I must admit it is an honour to meet you." He smiled. "Don't worry, ma'am. I shall see Equestria through this difficult time. Peace shall be returned quickly, I can assure you. In the meantime if there is ever anything you need, feel free to ask."

Twilight blushed and formed an awkward smile. She couldn't peer away from his eyes, they looked like a weird combination of sun and moon. She could feel her senses drawing from her.

"Very good," Celestia nodded. "The sooner, the better."

Jewel continued to peer at Twilight and leaned into Blu.

"What do you suppose is wrong with her?"

"I don't know," Blu replied, "but if you ask me, it looks like she might have a bit of a crush."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight pouted as she boarded the train, a squadron of soldiers following her. Their spears remained at the ready, their uniforms glistened in the sun. She shed a single tear and peered at Applejack who seemed much calmer about everything happening. The country pony smiled and seated herself next to Twilight.

"Are you alright, Sugarcube?" She asked.

"Yes," Twilight nodded. "It's just that Equestria hasn't been in a war for over one thousand years. The last one we had was the Great Equestrian War where the Pegasus, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies became allies, and Hearthswarm Eve was created."

"The important thing is we won that," Rainbow Dash boasted, she forced a cheerful smile and broke the two ponies apart. "And we'll win this one as well, I bet the enemy never saw somepony as cool as me before."

"That's just it," Twilight frowned. "Equestria never won that war…"

"But that's impossible," Rainbow Dash interrupted. "We had to have won, why else would we be here?"

"I don't know," Twilight frowned. "The history books don't even go back that far, I only know about it because of Celestia informing me about it. One day the ponies just forgot about it, the enemy who threatened us just disappeared without any trace, and we never heard from him again. It all happened around the same time King Sombra cursed the Crystal Empire and it too disappeared."

"That there sounds awfully convenient, Twi," Applejack noted. "Do you think they are somehow related?"

"Perhaps," Twilight nodded. "Either way, we're about to find out."

* * *

# # #

* * *

A grim mood blanketed Blu and Jewel as they tried to think about everything about to happen. Out of all the creatures in Equestria, they'd seen more than their fair share of danger, warfare, and destruction. Jewel knew where it would ultimately lead Blu. His sense of dedication towards helping innocent creatures and his knowledge of everything about to be thrown down would more than likely lead him to be a general on the front lines, the same went for Rico. She lowered her head and sobbed openly into her wings.

Blu watched her out of the corner of his eyes. He knew how she felt, he too didn't really want to join in the war, but he couldn't turn the ponies away in their time of need. He paced along the floor, his tail feathers dragged along the wooden planks. He made the occasional clicking sound with his beak, but overall he didn't make any other audible sounds. His eyes filled with sorrow at Jewel's open feelings.

"WHY!?" A voice snapped at him.

Blu turned around to see Rico glaring at him. The mixed hybrid macaw didn't look to be in an amused mood, his temper rose beyond comfortable limits.

"WHY BLU!?" he snapped again. "WHY ARE WE PARTICIPATING IN A WAR THAT ISN'T OUR FIGHT?"

"Because," Blu said in a simple reply.

"BECAUSE WHY?!" Rico snapped at him again, he drew closer, his wings ready to pounce on his future father in law. His beak trembled more as his anger grew. "TELL ME NOW!"

"I can't," Blu sighed. "We know what these ponies are about to get into, we know everything they're about to face. Don't you see that they need us? It could help bring us closer to going home, and it could bring us closer to finding our friends. That's the only way I can explain it… there might be more to it than that, I don't know."

"Screw you!" Rico declared pointing a wing at the macaw. "I am not killing any creature. Now that Marco is gone, I have put the life of a warrior behind me. I do not need to fight anyone, and you can't make me."

Rose's wings drew to her beak as she listened to the argument between her father, and future mate. She couldn't pick sides, either way one of them would be mad at her. Tears welled in her eyes, her beak trembled.

"You know what… I'm out of here, good luck with your war, Blu. I'll be sure to put that on your tombstone when it ends up killing you, leaving your family fatherless and Jewel mateless."

Rico raised his wings, issuing a command to his soldiers and stormed out of the room. He never looked back at any of them. Without a word he vanished from sight, slamming the door behind him.

Blu turned to his daughter who looked devastated by the male's departure. She began to sob.

"He'll be back," Blu said.

* * *

# # #

* * *

The sun reflected through the crystal room casting a rainbow of colour to the floor. King Sombra chuckled to himself. He admired the scenery though he longed for the cold black feeling of his un-beating heart. He longed to warp these crystals into darker more evil versions of themselves, and rule over the crystal ponies who slaved under him. He plucked a small gem from the ground and watched it warp under his dark presence.

"Sire!"

King Sombra turned to see a large robed figure enter his private chamber. The figure knelt down before him and bowed his head low to the ground.

"Sire, I thought you should know that Celestia, the princess of Canterlot has hired a large collection of ponies and a few birds to be generals. It looks like they could be preparing to fight us. From further investigations it looks like the same ponies who defeated you at Gemstone, the capital of the Crystal Empire."

"I know," Sombra snarled. "It is of no concern. Soon I will rule all of Equestria, and I will have everyone as slaves…"

The robed figure bent down lower.

"Yes sire, what shall I tell Chrysalis and Discord?"

"Have them march on the Ever Free Forest, it is the largest plot of land, if we control that we can begin taking over the smaller sections. We'll wipe out the resistance one by one."

"It shall be done." The robed figure replied.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Rico stomped through the forest with his squadron of soldiers behind him. He peered up through the trees and noted that he could no longer see the sun, or the clear blue sky through the thick canopy of trees. He shuddered at the thought that the darkness here wasn't natural. It loomed over the landscape like some evil spell. He stopped when he heard the commotion coming from all sides of him. His eyes widened as he peered around him, he stood surrounded by those weird black bugs called Changelings. They hissed at him, bearing their fangs.

"An ambush!" he scolded himself, "How could I be so stupid."


	17. Chapter 16: Tragedy

_**Chapter 16:**_

_**Tragedy!**_

Rico stood still and silent, like a statue, eying the large gathering of changelings whose total numbers continued to increase with each second. He couldn't breathe neither could any of the soldiers at his command. They stood with their weapons at the ready, despite knowing that they held no chance for victory. They stood outnumbered ten to one, and fighting them in this situation would be a useless gesture and certain death. The macaw's eyes widened as he thought about Rose. The last few moments spent with her and her family hadn't been pleasant. He remembered his argument with Blu, and now as he looked death in the face, none of it seemed to matter. He realised his pigheaded, boorish and rather foolish behaviour.

"Rose, please forgive me." he said, lowering his head. "I'm sorry."

A cruel heartless cackle erupted from the crowd of changelings. Queen Chrysalis emerged from the mob and pointed an amused hoof at him. She licked her lips and twisted her head to one side. Her bright green eyes burned like a wild fire, destroying everything it touched, and smouldering anything else that happened to be around. Her vicious black fangs curled as she readied herself to attack.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't a little bird." She mused. "What are you doing here with Canterlot Royalty?"

Rico didn't feel intimidated by the creature's interest in him. He knew he would be defeated anyway, so he didn't have any other concern. He glared at the vicious creature and spit with disgust. He pointed a talon at her and clutched the claws together tight. He wouldn't give Chrysalis the satisfaction of pulling information from him. He wouldn't betray Blu, Jewel, Rose, or the ponies during his final moments. His eyes hardened as he gave his reply.

"It is none of your business. I suggest you go back to wherever it is that you came from and leave this place alone."

Chrysalis let loose a cruel chuckle and pulled herself into a sustained flight. Her wings buzzed sounding like an Africanised bee. She threw her hoof forward and issued her commands, to which the changelings followed without question.

"Kill them all, claim the forest for ourselves."

The changelings charged forward with all of the speed they could muster. The evil black bugs moved like lightning, within seconds they were upon the Equestrian soldiers. With a vast green aura surrounding them, they could attack and seemingly teleport to the other side of their victim before their opponent could even respond. The guards tried to defend themselves but found it to be next to impossible. Spears fell to the ground, as several soldiers fell injured. Shouts of pain, chaos, and confusion erupted through the forest.

Rico backed away, taking the few soldiers with him. They held their spears out at the ready, the advancing black bugs continued to draw closer. They hadn't lost a single member, while so many Equestrian Soldiers still moaned and pleaded for assistance on the battlefield. Rico could feel the cold grip of fear embrace him, even though he knew the battle would end this way. He threw his wings up into the air and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"FOR ROSE!"

The macaw charged forward with all the speed his body would allow. He charged forward at the enemy, his eyes shed painful tears as he realised his fate. He would not escape this battle. He would not be able to apologise to Blu, nor would he ever see Rose again. This moment would be his final stand, he would go the way his father had so long ago… as a hero.

* * *

# # #

* * *

A knock on the library door alerted Twilight and her friends who drew to it in curiosity. The door opened with a heavy creak that sent cold chills down their spines. It wasn't natural for them to receive a visitor, so no one knew what to expect. When the door opened fully one of Celestia's soldiers entered into the house, he appeared wounded, large open wounds drew down his body. He pulled off his helmet and lowered his head as he spoke the words to the gathered creatures.

"I am regretful to inform you that I must return to Canterlot Castle," he explained. "But first Princess Celestia asked that I hand you this, it is a letter that needs immediate attention."

Twilight cocked her head to one side, unsure of what to think. She peered at Spike who stood confused by the incident. He scratched a curved claw across his scaly cheek. His shoulders shrugged as if answering Twilight's question before she even asked him.

"Don't look at me," he put words to his thoughts after a couple of awkward moments. "Maybe magic isn't working for some reason."

Twilight nodded her head in understand and proceeded to open the letter. She read the contents of the message allowed for the assembled creatures to hear her. None of them knew what to think when she revealed the words.

"Princess Celestia regretfully informs you that the Ever Free Forest has fallen to the enemy. Several Canterlot Guards, as well as Rico, a brave spirited bird from another world have been killed in action trying to stop the advances of the enemy. It is with great sorrow that I tell you that they have fought for freedom, and paid the ultimate price. Their sacrifice shall never be forgotten."

Rose fell to the floor, her body trembled growing pale. She peered at her own wings with thick glassy eyes. She couldn't believe the news of what she heard, nor could she contain her grief. Rico, the bird who was going to be her mate, had been killed fighting a battle against an enemy that he couldn't stop. Even worse, they hadn't even begun their life together, or had a chance to bring peace between him and her father. Everything she wanted, now would never happen.

"Rico," she gasped her voice sounded small, shaky, and unsure of anything. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she slammed her wings down upon the ground, her tears stained the ground beneath her face. Her heart felt like it weighed a million pounds. It pummelled her chest with little rest as it shattered into tiny pieces. She didn't want to believe it, she grabbed the letter from Twilight and read the words hoping that this was just a terrible misunderstanding… but it wasn't, the words were there, written in pen, Rico, killed in action.

The young female macaw sprung out of the room to the upper level of the library as fast as she could. Her painful sobbing echoed through the floorboards, causing a swift guilt to sweep over Blu. The end result of his actions had led a macaw to his death. He swallowed a large lump in his throat and proceeded towards the door, his wings landed on the knob.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jewel and Rainbow Dash asked in unison.

"This is my fault," Blu admitted. "The least I can do is find his body and bring him home. He deserves to be buried like a hero, not left in some forest like a piece of trash. I owe him his last respects, because he never got it from me in life."

Blu spread his wings and took to the sky, he didn't look back, he wouldn't look back, not until he finished his mission and paid respects to a brave macaw who gave his life for freedom.


	18. Chapter 17: Vanquish the Moon

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Welcome guys to yet another chapter. I hope you guys are all enjoying the story so far... please read and review :)_

The songs used in this are all written by PonyPhonic, you will find links to them on my profile page, t_hey are both really really good songs, so check them out and show your support :)_

* * *

_**Chapter 17:**_

_**Haunted by the Past:**_

"Is war really the answer?" Luna demanded of her sister, her dark eyes glazed over in anger as her hoof slammed down upon the marbled decorative floor. Her muzzle twisted into a vicious sneer, her anger became evident on her face. She would have screamed at the top of her lungs if she needed too, if it meant getting an immediate answer from her sister, but that wasn't necessary. No sooner had she spoken did Celestia turn and nod her head.

"It is," Princess Celestia admitted. "The Empire holds a powerful magic which must not fall into the hooves of any pony who would abuse it. We suffered that fate once, and it shall not happen again. But you know this better than anyone, my dear sister. You were there back then, weren't you?"

Luna lowered her head to the ground, she didn't wish to recall those dreadful times. She could remember everything as if it happened yesterday. It forced her to shudder as she recalled the events she held as a heavy burden on her heart. A burden she wished would vanish so she could be happy and free again… alas that wouldn't ever happen. The past could not be changed for any reason, and happiness could never be claimed for her. The sins were too great, the memories of that terrible time plagued her mind with no rest.

"We think we shall return to our chamber," Luna sighed. "Tis not been a good day to say the least, my sister."

Celestia arched a suspicious eyebrow and peered at her sister for a brief moment. She'd never known Luna to be one to back down and retreat. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Is there something bugging you, dead Luna?"

"It's nothing…" Luna admitted as sincerely as possible. "We are just not feeling to good at the moment."

Celestia watched Luna wander from the room, her head dropped as she let out a heartfelt sigh, although she hadn't said a word or gave any notion that she knew, she could tell what troubled the young princess. She peered up at the nearest stained glass window, a portrait of Twilight and her friends using the Elements of Harmony against Night Mare Moon and scoring their first victory as friends.

"I can feel your guilt, dear Luna." She admitted. "The past can't be changed, but that is no reason to beat yourself up over it, we both made mistakes, and we both need to learn from them, that is the only way we'll ever grow."

* * *

# # #

* * *

_Luna tossed and turned as she dreamt about her horrible past. As hard as she tried she couldn't break the visions from her mind. She recalled everything that happened, and they now haunted her in her slumber. It all started a little over one thousand years ago in Canterlot. _

_Back then, Princess Luna stood very different than the way she appeared today. She hadn't been a mare of darkness or fear, in fact she was nothing more than just a young filly. She peered through her timid bright blue eyes and watched the last few rays of the setting sun bid its final farewell to the day. Her horn began to glow as her spell began to kick in, allowing the world to rest under the soft veil of darkness called night. With a kick of her hooves she raised the moon to take the sun's place. Despite all the trouble in creating such a beautiful world, very few ponies cared for her. She stood alone as an outcast from society, even her own sister didn't seem to notice her or give any notion that she cared. _

_The young filly lowered her head, though still raised her glance towards the star strewn sky. She frowned as she thought about what she wanted more than anything else in the world. She wanted other ponies to experience this beauty. She wanted them to see the jewels which blanketed the sky as little specks of light amongst the blackness. She wanted them to see the moon and its beauty which could even rival that of the sun… but none of them even cared. The ponies of Equestria would just lock themselves away and wait for her sister's sunny day._

"_One day they will all see my beautiful night." She told herself. "One day they will love me. They will love me the same way they love my sister."_

_Luna spread her wings as far as they would go and lifted herself into the air. Without a word she flew off towards the Ever Free Forest, the place she lived with her sister Celestia. The forest had always been the place where the royal sisters lived throughout the ages. It rested as the home for the Elements of Harmony, and stood as the vantage point where they could take care of all the civilian ponies. Despite the vicious monsters, the forest held a certain appeal of calm, and peacefulness about it, which caused Luna to feel at peace in her darkest of times. _

_Coming in for a landing, she folded her wings and stepped into the main chamber. Her eyes fell upon the Elements of Harmony attached to the centerpiece statue standing tall and proud in the middle of the room. In front of it, her sister stood, awaiting her arrival._

"_Luna, thou shall report to the Crystal Empire immediately." Celestia told her. "A dark force hast begun taking over and hast begun to enslave its inhabitants. Thou must deal with the threat before it spreads across the whole of Equestria. Thou will leave right away with no questions asked."_

_Luna slammed her hoof upon the ground and glared at her sister. Her muzzle twisted as she fought the hatred for her sister. The Princess who ruled over the day had no right to bark orders at her, not during her time to rule. _

"_But-" Luna began to protest, but fell silent under her sister's glare. She wanted to speak and tell her sister off but found herself unable too. Letting out a defeated sigh she hung her head low. "Oh, all right. But it doesn't mean I have to like it. One day you'll learn to do things my way, Celestia."_

"_Your way?" Celestia arched a curious eyebrow. She grew stern and rose to her full height. "And just what is that supposed to mean? Thou surely knows that there isn't another way. We are meant to rule together, not argue about everything. Thou act like a spoiled little filly whom has lost their favourite toy."_

"_If we're meant to rule together, then thou should allow me to have my say!" Luna demanded. _

"_We hast no time for this," Celestia turned away. "Thou hast orders, and thou shall obey. Do not question my judgment, young one."_

_Luna watched her sister leave the room, her sour attitude continued to grow. Her eyes burned bright with vengeful fury. _

"_One day soon, I'll show you I am not the lesser light. Darkness will rule over light, and moon will rule over sun. What will you do when that day comes, sister? What will you do?"_

_Luna spread her wings and did not wait a moment longer. She flew through the air with all of the strength she could muster, and headed to the frozen north where the Crystal Empire waited for her. _

_**A Full Night's Flight Later:**_

_Luna landed in the Empire just as the sun began to rise upon the horizon. The dark flanked alicorn glared at the arrival of the dawn. It served as a constant reminder of her sister's lack of compassion towards anything other than her self and the ponies who didn't care about her. In a way the battle between the dawn and dusk served as a reminder towards the eternal power struggle that raged on between her and Celestia... two alicorns who could never co-exist in peace. Her eyes hardened as she turned to proceed further into the capital city, but found herself staring at a figure dressed in a dark robe. He glared at her, showing very little of his facial features. His dark red eyes held no emotion._

"_Ah, I've been expecting you." He said, holding up a robed limb. "Would you please follow me, we have much to discuss."_

"_We're expected?" Luna arched a curious eyebrow. "But how is that possible? Even we didn't know we were coming." _

_The dark robed creature laughed and turned back to peer at the Princess, he formed a wicked smile, his piercing white teeth shined bright like a golden beam of sunlight. Luna found herself needing to turn away from the blinding effect caused by the sheen. The dark figure nodded his head and explained himself further._

"_I know everything," he admitted. "I know about the trouble that hurts the Empire, I know about the magical power that could save this place, and I know the hatred you have for all living ponies Why don't we focus on that dear Luna, the hatred you have is powerful indeed. It makes you far more powerful than what the ponies, even you own sister give you credit for."_

_Luna stopped in her tracks, she thought about it and shook her head._

"_Thoust are wrong, I do not hate anyone."_

"_And yet you aren't happy…" The dark figure chuckled. "Believe me I know how you feel… think about how much it hurts you that all the ponies lock themselves in their houses, and do not appreciate the night. You must feel so resentful that your sister doesn't care how bad you feel. You should embrace the hatred that you feel knowing that everyone thinks you are worthless and shouldn't exist at all. If they had their way, the moon wouldn't exist… the night would never come… there would be nothing except eternal sunlight. It must hurt knowing that your talents are so unappreciated. They laugh at you, they mock you, they don't love you, they never have and you know it. Embrace that truth… use it to your advantage."_

_Luna dropped to the ground, her head fell to the ground. Her eyes welled with tears which threatened to run down the crevices of her face. This figure spoke truths that she never wanted to admit. Deep down she knew that none of the other ponies cared for her. It didn't matter to them if she existed or not, as long as they had their bright sunny day, her night would be eternally shunned._

"_What do we do?" She wept. "We're useless… we only want to belong."_

"_Yes," The dark figure smiled. "Now listen up, go to the Castle, and find the Crystal Heart. Its powers will aid you, if you are willing to pay a price that is. Use its magic to defeat the darkness here, after that let it whisper in your ear its secrets shall be all yours and everyone will love you."_

_Luna wiped a wedge of eyelash out of her eye and peered straight ahead, the figure was gone, like a phantom he disappeared amongst the gathering light. She peered down at the snow realising that there weren't any other tracks other than her own, she stared in disbelief wondering if this figure had only been her conscience, or if he'd ever even been there at all._

"_We guess we shall find the heart, perhaps then all will become clear."_

* * *

# # #

* * *

_The crystal castle appeared dark and forbidding, made of pitch black quartz crystal, it cut an intimidating aura throughout the entire empire. Large assemble of chained ponies gathered around her, looks of terror and fear embedded upon their faces as they peered at the stranger in their midst. Luna closed her eyes and stormed passed them. She did not care about them, why would she? They did not care for her, even now in their hour of need, they only wanted freedom. _

_Without a word she marched into the main throne room and stood tall. She scanned the large staircase digging down into the earth. With a hint of amusement she kicked a rock downward and waited for the clinking of it hitting the ground… she would get no such response. Her eyes widened and shuddered._

"_Thou mustn't fall, Luna." She warned herself. "Let's just find this Crystal Heart and get this over with. Thou has some important stuff to do to be wasting it on Celestia's little errand."_

_Peering up at the throne once again, her eyes spotted something she hadn't before. Etched into the crystal rested a heart. Carved from pitch black crystal, it gave off a powerful energy source. Without a word she charged forward and prepared herself to have her trinket. She leaned in and gasped as visions flashed through her mind. She could see herself as the greatest ruler in all of Equestria with a world of eternal night at her command. _

"_LUNA!"_

_Princess Luna stopped and fell back at the sound of Celestia's voice growling in her ear. The young filly spun around and eyed her sister stepping into the room, an enraged look upon her face. _

"_What does thou think you are doing?" Celestia asked. "Thou have been asked to defeat the evil here, not become part of the problem yourself."_

_Celestia glared at her sister and forced her to the ground with her magic. Her eyes hardened as her temper rose._

"_Thou hast broken my trust, Luna." She explained. "Thou is nothing to me now. Thou must pay the price."_

"_Yes," A darker voice laughed, "Go ahead, Celestia, deal with her. I'd love to see you try. The moon princess must be sealed away for eternity."_

_Both eyes fell upon the source of the voice, a dark robed creature, the same creature Luna encountered upon her arrival. He glared at the two sisters and spread his robed limbs with excitement._

"_This certainly is exciting two sisters fighting each other, two sisters about to destroy each other, and only one will survive to see their time of day lasting for eternity… what will happen, eh? An eternity of sun and light, or an eternity of darkness, either way this should be the ultimate power struggle, get on with it girls… get on with it."_

_Celestia spun and turned on the creature. With all of her magic she blasted the robed creature, transforming him into smoke._

"_NO!" The creature hissed. "You will not win, Celestia. I curse this place for the rest of eternity… if I go, the empire goes with me."_

* * *

_# # #_

* * *

Luna opened her eyes and shed a painful tear. She remembered that day well. True to the creature's words, the empire disappeared along with him. She closed her eyes and recalled what happened next. Nothing on earth would prepare her for what would come… nothing!

* * *

# # #

* * *

_Luna couldn't forget the vision, scoring a victory over the dark entity which controlled the empire hadn't increased her popularity. In fact it made her more feared. Ponies ran for their lives when she strolled through the forest, others hid or just ignored her, especially her own sister who remained blind to the whole thing no matter how hard she tried to explain the situation. She lowered her head and thought about the vision she'd witnessed close to the heart. The land of eternal darkness, certainly seemed like a good idea, she would rule all of Equestria and force the ponies to face her night. If they wouldn't come willingly, she would make them by force. She cackled at the idea, the more she thought about it, the more she liked it. _

_She raised her head to the sky and forced a smile. She began to sing, all the while placing chunks of armour onto her flank and chest, and a helmet to her head. _

"_**Now the hour has come again**_

_**The soft and fading light**_

_**It crossed the west horizon**_

_**And has bidden us good night**_

_**And what a lovely night it is to walk a moonlit field **_

_**To see the softer shades**_

_**Which are by starlight now revealed**_

_**So why is it that when all is quiet and at rest**_

_**When candles glow and all the world is at it's very best**_

_**The Ponies of Equestria should lock themselves away**_

_**To shun the moon and wait instead for sister's sunny day?**_

_**Now am I so wrong to ask that they see things like I do?  
**_

_**And am I so wrong to ask that they also love me too?  
**_

_**Why shouldn't they adore me?  
**_

_**Is it not within my right?**_

_**I will not be overshadowed, **_

_**Mine is not the lesser light!**_

_**I've waited long enough now, for them all to come around.  
**_

_**The sun just pleads and threatens, but the moon shall stand her ground.**_

_**Then all the world will know the wonder of my dark and jewel sky**_

_**When all the world is wrapped in an eternal lullaby **_

_**So say goodbye to this, the final setting of the sun**_

_**Tomorrow dawns in darkness**_

_**The night time has begun!"**_

_ Luna laughed and spun around to see the moon sitting in the darkening sky. She forced herself a wicked smile as she blocked away the emotions of her heart. Her eyes hardened as she told herself one final thing._

_ "Luna is gone, in her place Night Mare Moon has arrived." She smiled and shifted her attention to the castle, not far from her location. The towers rose over the trees, a marker for where her attack would begin. "We told you this day would come, sister. What are you going to do without your precious sun?"_

* * *

# # #

* * *

_Night Mare Moon stormed into the main throne room where Celestia sat. She jumped to her hooves and eyed the newcomer with a vicious glare. Night Mare Moon raised a hoof and addressed her sister in a royal fashion._

_ "Ah, hello there, Celestia… I would advise you to stand down. I really do not want to hurt family."_

_ Celestia cocked her head to one side and eyed the stranger. She recognised the eyes though they seemed far more serious and far more evil than what she knew previous to this encounter. Her jaw dropped as she attempted to make sense of this scenario. She spread her wings wide and circled around the dark mare._

_ "Luna? Is that you?"_

_ "I'm not Luna," Night Mare Moon answered. "Not anymore… The name is Night Mare Moon."_

_ "Night Mare Moon, eh?" Celestia mused. "Did you come up with that all on your own? Or did you get help?"_

_ "Make jokes all you want," Night Mare Moon glowered. "Your days of laughing at me are over when I rule the land with eternal night. All of your jokes, all of your subjects, they will pay for making me their laughing stock. If I can not get your love, or your respect, than I will take it by force."_

_ "Luna, come to your senses!" Celestia demanded. "You are respected, you are loved… how aren't you?"_

_ "Shut your damn mouth!" Night Mare Moon demanded, her hoof slammed to the ground. "Is it respect that they do not treat my night the way they treat your day? Is it love to command me around like I'm your servant? You say we are meant to rule together, but you can't handle sharing the spotlight, well I can fix that when I rip you out of it."_

_ Night Mare Moon charged forward, slamming her horn into Celestia's side. The large white alicorn flew through the air, her side arched from the impact. Within seconds she slammed to the ground and slid a few centimetres. She groaned as she made contact with the ground. Her eyes filled with concern for her younger sister._

_ "Luna, don't attack me." She pleaded. "What is wrong with you? I can help you."_

_ Night Mare Moon spit with disgust at the proposal, she shook her head and prepared herself for another charge._

_ "It is too late." She replied. "You had your chance to help me, and you failed."_

_ "Than my sister is dead," Celestia admitted, "The real Luna would not act this way. She held a noble heart and helped me take down the biggest and some of the worst villains in all of Equestria. She did it because she loved her people."_

_ "And yet they made fun of her, and they disrespect her beautiful night, does that make sense to you?" Night Mare Moon questioned. "NO IT DOESN'T… IF YOU WANT TO LAUGH AND FEAR YOUR PRINCESS, THAN SHE SHALL GIVE YOU A REASON TO FEAR HER. THE LAUGHTER SHALL DIE TODAY ALONG WITH THE SUN!"_

_ Celestia spread her wings wide and stood to her full height. Her eyes narrowed in frustration._

_ "Luna, if I can't reason with you, than I have no choice. Prepare yourself… but know that I'm sorry my sister. I wish it didn't have to come to this."_

_ Celestia and Night Mare Moon charged forward with all of their strength and collided together, their horns swung like swords as they fought one another. Celestia swung left, however she found herself parried by Night Mare Moon's excellent speed, in an instant, she'd managed to block and unleash an attack on her own. _

_ Both alicorns glared at each other, neither willing to allow the other any sort of advantage. Celestia fired a magical blast, knocking Night Mare Moon across the room. She landed with a sickening thud on the floor right underneath the statue holding the Elements of Harmony. She lifted her head and summoned her magic to drag the elements towards her. As they fused with her body, she peered on final time at her sister and shed a tear._

_ "WHY!" She pleaded with her sister. "WHY DID YOU DO THIS!"_

_ Night Mare Moon didn't bother to reply, she sat there, trying to raise herself to her hooves. Celestia cocked her head and bound the evil mare of darkness. Night Mare Moon wouldn't escape her fate. She grunted and glared in hate at her older sister… the pony who she despised more than anyone else._

_ "LUNA, WE WERE MEANT TO RULE TOGETHER! WHY DID YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON US…?"_

_ Night Mare Moon didn't respond to the question. Celestia's tears started to grow heavier as her heart shattered into tiny pieces. _

_ "Luna, I'm sorry, I failed you."_

_ Night Mare Moon glared at her sister. She formed a conniving smile, her voice rang out full of hatred. _

_ "You never cared for me, you never loved me, you never wanted anything except your own crown and precious day time. I should have known the day was planning to destroy the night. It's what you always wanted…so don't talk to me about failure, you succeeded in what you wanted and for that I HATE YOU!"_

_ "Luna," Celestia sobbed harder. "You were my sister, I loved you. We could have found a way to make things right if you had just come to me."_

_ "I did," Night Mare Moon snarled. "As always you were too self absorbed to do anything to help!"_

_ Celestia bowed her head low and felt the magic flowing through her. She turned away as the magic enveloped her sister, sealing her away. The beam of light carrying Luna disappeared and floated towards the moon where Luna would spend the rest of eternity. Celestia fell to the ground, sobbing as she realised what she'd done. Luna hadn't been an aggressive monster by choice. She became a monster because she failed to help her. In the end, Luna paid for her actions, but the fault really fell upon a different shoulders. She peered up at the moon, her eyes full of tears. She began to sing a sweet though heartbreaking song for her sister's requiem. _

"_**Fate has been cruel, and order unkind**_

_**How can I have sent you away?**_

_**The blame was my own, the punishment yours**_

_**The harmony silenced today.**_

_**But into the stillness**_

_**I bring you a song**_

_**And I will your company keep**_

_**To your tired eyes, and my lullabies **_

_**I carried you softly to sleep.**_

_**Once did a pony who shined like the sun**_

_**Look out on her kingdom and sigh**_

_**She smiled and said, **_

_**surely there is no pony so lovely, and well beloved as I**_

_**So great was her reign, and so brilliant her glory, **_

_**that long was the shadow she cast**_

_**which fell dark upon thee young sister she loved**_

_**and only grew darker, as day and night passed **_

_**Lulay Moon Princess, good night sister mine**_

_**Rest now in moonlight's embrace**_

_**There my lullaby and winds of the earth,**_

_**through cloud, through sky and through space.**_

_**Carry the peace, and the coolness of night**_

_**And carry my sorrow in kind**_

_**Luna you were more loved than you know,**_

_**Forgive me for being so blind.**_

_**Soon did that pony notice that others, did not give her sister her due**_

_**And neither had she, loved her like she deserved**_

_**She watched as the sister's unhappiness grew**_

_**But such is the way of the limelight it goes**_

_**It takes over the mind of its host**_

_**And that foolish pony, did nothing to stop, **_

_**the destruction of one who had needed her most**_

_**Lulay Moon Princess, good night sister mine**_

_**Rest now in Moonlight's embrace**_

_**There my lullaby, and winds of the earth**_

_**Through cloud, through sky and through space**_

_**Carry the peace, and the coolness of night**_

_**And carry my sorrow in kind**_

_**Luna you were more loved than you know**_

_**May troubles be far from your mind…**_

_**And forgive me for being so blind.**_

_**The years now before us**_

_**Are fearful and unknown**_

_**I never imagined **_

_**I'd face them on my own**_

_**May eternity winters **_

_**Swiftly pass, I pray.**_

_**I LOVE you,  
I MISS you,**_

_**All these miles away**_

_**May all your dreams be…**_

_**Sweet, tonight**_

_**Safe upon your bed of moonlight**_

_**And know not of sadness, pain or care**_

_**And when I dream I'll fly away, and meet you there**_

_**Sleep…**_

_**Sleep…**_

_**Sleep…"**_

Luna came awake and shed a tear. She remembered all the years being sealed on the moon. What felt like an eternity of sorrow and sadness… everything felt like they hadn't changed from her time in Equestria… she shuddered at the thought that if there hadn't been a flaw in the spell, she'd still would be up there. If it hadn't been for Twilight and her friends, she would still be angry and corrupt with evil. She now had so many ponies to thank for her newfound freedom. She peered up to see Celestia enter. Her eyes lowered as she asked the question.

"Tell me, sister. I must know… is Chrysalis a pawn? Do you think she is being influenced by him? The same way he influenced me? Is that why we're doing this? So no one else shares my fate."

Celestia nodded her head.

"I was trying to keep it from you. You aren't ready to face him again. We do have reasons to believe that this thing whoever he is, is the real culprit behind all of this, and is using Chrysalis as a shield."

Luna lowered her head.

"What do I do now?" She asked. "Do I go after him?"

"No," Celestia shook her head. "You can only do what your heart tells you to do. Believe in our friends. Twilight has never let us down before, and I believe she and her friends will find her way through this… but they'll need everybody, including those birds from the other world. I could feel it in that one bird, Blu… he holds a key to ending this forever. He just needs to find it, and unlock it."

* * *

_**Author's notes # 2**_

_**If you're having trouble understanding the lyrics for Celestia's song "Lullaby for a Princess" it deals with Celestia's feelings of grief towards failing her sister when she needed her most, and being solely responsible for sealing her away from something she might never be free from... and pretty much feels like she will never be able to see her again... kind of like saying goodbye to someone who has died.**_


	19. Chapter 18: Rainbow's Mission

_******Hey guys it's been awhile, sorry it's taken so long, I've been extremely busy. Here is a little something to tie you over. It's not overly long, but its does its job in continuing the story.**_

I hope you all had a happy holiday, and see you in 2013. Happy New Years 

* * *

_**Chapter 18:**_

_**Rainbow's Mission**_

Rainbow Dash sat in complete boredom. With a single hoof on her muzzle, she mumbled to herself, allowing her eyes to narrow in frustration. Without a word she glared out at the window at the wonderful summer afternoon. The clear blue sky, the flocks of birds, even the wind rustling through the trees seemed to be calling to her, increasing her desires to be outside, spreading her wings, and preparing for the day when she would be accepted into the Wonderbolts – a group of the most elite, disciplined, and skilful fliers in all of Equestria – Rainbow sighed as she listened to the collective voices of her friends. Ever since Blu and Rico had run off, Jewel remained panicked and worried.

Despite her cool demeanour, Rainbow couldn't deny that she too began to feel the slightest bit nervous. Equestria sat on the brink of war, and with the news of Rico's death, safety and security began to diminish. Things weren't like they were a short while ago. Everything needed to be taken seriously, and the tension would only grow worse with each passing day. Through the corner of her eyes, she watched the solitary grey tears creeping down the end of Jewel's beak.

"Where is that featherhead anyways?" Rainbow Dash frowned. "He should have been back hours ago."

"M-M-Maybe he was…" Fluttershy tried to speak up, but found her voice drowned out by the much louder Applejack who began to put a voice to her own concerns.

"Calm yerself, Rainbow." Applejack sighed. "I reckon Blu be lookin for that there macaw named Rico. Tisn't right just leaving his body out there to rot like an apple with a worm in it. Problem is, Equestria isn't exactly the nicest place to be right now. Not with those varmints on the loose."

"M-M-Maybe he was…" Fluttershy tried to speak again but found herself drowned out by Rainbow Dash who charged forward towards her friend.

"Yeah, well if they are looking for a fight, we will bring them a fight." Rainbow Dash growled, hopping up onto her hind legs and pretending to box some villains. Her eyes reflected the world as she continued to speak. "Besides, it's not like we aren't used to this, we defeated Night Mare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, and we saved the Crystal Empire from King Sombra. No one can match us in sheer awesomeness… unless they're twenty percent cooler that is."

"Girls, if I could just have your attention please." Fluttershy insisted. "M-M-Maybe he has been…"

Jewel stepped up and lowered her head.

"What if he's been captured?" She asked simply. Her voice remained flat and emotionless, almost searching for any sign of hope that Blu would return safe and sound, even if it was only false hope.

"That's what I've been trying to ask you." Fluttershy pouted.

Rainbow Dash sprung to the yellow Pegasus' side and wrapped her hoof around her. The cyan coloured pony formed a smile and winked at her friend.

"Well why didn't you say something?"

"I did," Fluttershy frowned.

Jewel fluttered to the center of the room and held up her wings. Her concern grew with every second. Her eyes filled with fright as she thought about Blu being caught by those monstrous creatures.

"We need to go find him."

"No," Rainbow Dash shook her head. "You aren't going. You'll only slow us down. I will go and I will find him in ten seconds flat."

"Are you sure about that, Rainbow?" Applejack asked. "If something were to happen, you won't receive no help."

"I'll be fine," Rainbow Dash protested. "Besides we're wasting time just standing here. Let me take to the sky and I'll bring that featherbrain home in no time."

The group of ponies nodded their heads and watched the cyan pony dart from the treehouse at her full speed, a rainbow coloured blur filled the sky leaving a faint impression in the direction she flew.

"Blu," Jewel frowned. "Please be safe."


	20. Chapter 19: Could It Be?

_**Chapter 19:**_

_**Could It Be? **_

Luna hadn't waited around. She watched her sister close the doors to her bedroom chamber, locking them tight for the night. At first she thought about the reasons why Celestia would have done such a thing, but after a few moments she realized that she didn't care about any reason, for she knew what she needed to do.

Without a word she wandered to the window and let the first few breaths of the evening breeze rustle through her mane.

"Oh most glorious of nights," she found herself saying as if she rehearsed it a thousand times. "Let us go."

She spread her feathered wings as far as they would go, and with one mighty leap she began to fly through the night sky. The star strewn blackness seemed to react to her movements, bringing a certain peace throughout the world. If only it could have read her emotions, perhaps then it would have reflected a certain caution, an uneasiness which threatened to consume her.

Luna thought back to what her sister said. She wanted to believe her sister when she mentioned that waiting for Twilight and her friends would have been the right thing to do, and that they would be able to ultimately defeat their enemy. But she knew better. Twilight didn't know what they were up against. This great and powerful evil which could tear open doorways to other worlds, remained the only reason Blu, Jewel, and their friends remained trapped her. Why the dimensions were on the verge of a collapse, and she alone held the key to setting everything right.

"I'm coming for you," Luna glared. "There shalt be no escape for you this time, for I am the princess of the night."

Before long, Luna found herself standing just outside the castle of the crystal empire. Her eyes focused on the horrible monument where everything in her life appeared to go wrong. This place, though beautiful when in the hands of good, appeared corrupted, dark, and evil. The jet black jade crept up the once blue sapphire surface, leaving very little colour other than a tainted image of its old self. Her eyes hardened as she placed a hoof upon the cold stone.

"He's beginning to destroy the beauty of our world." She frowned. "There must be something we can do."

"There is nothing you can do," a voice cackled.

Luna spun around, startled by the voice whispering in her ear. Her eyes narrowed as her temper began to rise. Before her stood nothing but the empty fields of the Crystal Empire, she stood alone with no possible way of anyone talking to her. Her eyes widened as she continued to study her surroundings. The voice had sounded so close, that she herself couldn't fathom what her own eyes beheld.

"H-Hello?" she began. "I-Is there anypony there?"

Silence seemed to be the only greeting she received. A bone chilling silence which crept down her spine and filled her with dread, she didn't trust it, she couldn't trust it. She began to back away, until she collided with something. Chancing a glimpse back she saw the familiar figure. He dressed in a dark robe, with no facial features, yet she knew from experience that he glared at her. Whatever this thing appeared to be, it couldn't be its true form… it held a darker evil within its heart.

"I've been expecting you, Princess, or should I call you Night Mare Moon? I must say you haven't changed a bit in the last one thousand years."

Luna's eyes hardened, her eyes remained away from the creature's face. She knew that it held some sort of power which could put you in a trance. That horrible face which could show you everything you wanted to see, she shifted her attention towards the dark castle stretching overhead, that way she didn't need to look at him.

"We hast come to stop you," Luna explain. "Thou must stop hurting the whole of Equestria."

The robed creature held a limb to his face as if pondering the request for a few moments.

"And why would I stop? Don't you see? I am about to get exactly what I want. I spent an eternity of plotting and planning, and it's all led to this one moment. Soon light and darkness will come together, the pieces of my plan are falling into place."

"We shall find a way to stop you." Luna glowered. "We promise you, thou will be stopped."

"Go ahead and try." The creature hissed. "You'll find that you can't. Destiny has seen to that, no matter what happens everything will play out the way it is supposed to. Light and Darkness shall meet at the appointed place, and you will play a role in it all, my dear, Princess."

"We refuse," Luna boasted. "We shall not succumb to your temptation."

The robed creature appeared at her side as if by magic. He wrapped a cold slithering limb around her broad shoulders. He chuckled for a moment and nodded his head in a mocking fashion. Everything about him seemed to put Luna off, his horrible stench of death and decay, the cold clamminess of his body which gave off no sense of heat, even his cracked voice which now sounded gravelly and emotionless.

"I think you will," the creature insisted. "I think in time you will see that you belong to me."

The robed creature stamped a limb against the ground, before long Shining Armour appeared at his side.

"Take the Princess to a bedroom chamber and make sure she's stays there. If she escapes I'll make sure you are personally held responsible."

Shining Armour nodded his head before lowering it to the ground. He let out a defeated sigh, and peered up at the princess he considered to be his friend.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Too put the last piece of the puzzle in its place." The robed creature said simply. "By the setting of the sun this evening, I'll be unstoppable. No power of love, friendship, or tolerance will stand up to what I have got planned."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu stood on a lone path creeping deeper into the Everfree Forest, with a careful step forward and a cautious mind, he peered out at his surroundings taking notes on the movement in the bushes ahead. He swallowed a lump in his throat and held his wings close to his chest. His chocolate brown eyes widened as he prepared himself for the worst. His beak formed the words automatically as they crept into his mind.

"It's okay Blu, its probably just some birds startled by your presence. Yes, that's it, birds. It's not some big, powerful, macaw eating monster that wants you for dinner. It's just birds."

He drummed a talon across his beak as he tried to wipe the last vision of some powerful monster from his mind. He knew he shouldn't be thinking that way but he couldn't help himself. He stopped and peered up at the sky, although he could see a few brief flashes of the clear blue sky, the thick overgrowth of the canopy kept any sunlight from offering any warmth or light… that of course only served to make his imagination run into overdrive with fearful, timid thoughts.

SNAP!

Blu spun around as the sound of a stick snapping broke the otherwise eerie silence. His eyes narrowed as he peered off in the distance, he could see a shape looming in the mist. It resembled the familiarity of a hawk, an overgrown, decrepit, and deformed hawk. Its wings rustled in the darkness, its beak razor sharp and drawn ready to attack. From the size of the creature, a size which most hawks weren't known for, his eyes widened.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Blu turned back and continued on his way. He didn't want to wait for this creature to emerge any closer to him. He couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing.

"It can't be," Blu frowned. "It can't be… there would be no logical way it would make sense."

As Blu disappeared from sight, the hawk landed in the spot Blu had been just moments before. He sniffed the ground, and kicked at the talon marks in the dirt, and formed a wicked smile. The bird rose to his full height and spread his wings.

"Blu…" it growled. "I will have my revenge."


	21. Chapter 20: Another Down

_**Chapter 20:**_

_**Another Down!**_

Rainbow Dash landed on the ground and peered back at the rainbow trailing left behind by the combined efforts of her blinding speed and multi-coloured mane and tail. She smiled to herself, amazed as she studied the length of the impression of light and how far back it went, but even more amazing, it broadcast the route she'd taken before coming to a stop. Up, down, around, even the occasional backside loop and barrel roll between the trees of the Everfree Forest, the rainbow coloured pony stuck her tongue out of her mouth and nodded approvingly. Although it proved safe to say that she'd improved over the past few years since meeting Twilight and the rest of her friends, she still needed to prepare herself for the day when she would join the Wonderbolts.

"Aw yeah," Rainbow Dash cheered, standing up on her hind hooves to celebrate her accomplishment. "Am I the girl or what? Let's see Spitfire beat that, if that doesn't impress the Wonderbolts, I could always pull out a few sonic rainbooms. Who knows they might even make me captain."

The thought filled Rainbow with joy, she raised a spare hoof to her muzzle and started to giggle in her fan girl fashion. She wanted to jump with her growing excitement, her eyes lit up with her goals. She imagined herself leading the group of elite fliers through all sorts of different stunts, they would follow her every command without question, a thought which Rainbow enjoyed to no end.

"No one has more skills than me," She told herself aloud. "I am Rainbow Dash, future Wonderbolt captain, and best flier to ever come out of Cloudsdale. I can pull of Sonic Rainbooms in my sleep, and that is only the beginning of what I can do. No one can match my skills."

"Really, well we'll just have to see about that, won't we?" A voice cackled. Rainbow Dash drew her attention to the side of the forest were she stood, standing there stood a creature dressed in a red robe. His eyes although they were puffy and bloodshot, almost as if he hadn't slept in a year, glared out at her with an intense curiosity.

"W-Who are you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "W-What are you? I've never seen you before. Don't you know the Everfree Forest is dangerous? There are Timberwolves, and Ursa Majors everywhere."

The robed creature just peered at her, he shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward. His eyes widened as he slunk to her side and wiped a white wing across her muzzle. He formed a pleasant smile upon the end of his beak.

"But if you're so skilled, why would you be worried about me? You don't even know me. In fact, if I was you, I would worry about yourself hahahaha"

The creature's insane laughter rang out of nowhere, Rainbow didn't have time to react before a wing slammed into the back of her neck rendering her unconscious.

When she awoke she found herself tied to a tree. A group of changelings surrounded her, their hissing sent a cold chill down her spine. They licked their lips as they prepared themselves to feast on her.

"Hey, what, what is this?" She growled. "Let me go right now, or I'll… I'll!"

"You'll what?" The robed creature asked. "Be quiet, or I'll force you to be silent. It would be a shame if I had to take away some of your beauty wouldn't it hahaha."

"You don't scare me!" Rainbow Dash argued. "You're nothing but a snivelling coward."

The robed creature laughed and clicked his beak together. He rolled his bloodshot eyes and pointed a wing towards the creature. On command the changelings proceeded forward, continuing to lick their lips.

"Take away what she loves most of her. Destroy her wings."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened as she found herself unable to fight back. The group of changelings descended upon her. In seconds there would be nothing she could do, they would destroy everything she loved, more than her own life. The only thing she heard over the hissing of the changelings was the insane laughter coming from a white cockatoo dressed in a red robe.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jewel tossed and turned in her sleep. As hard as she tried she couldn't wipe the nightmarish apparitions from her mind. She could hear the quiet conversation between the ponies echoing from the lower level of the library, they talked about their friendship, and what they needed to do in order to proceed onward safely, but most of it didn't seem to catch her interest. Getting up from under the covers, she wandered to the window and peered out at the village called Ponyville which now rested under a soft veil of night. Her thoughts fell on Blu, and deep down she wished that she would see him wandering back to the library… though she knew that she was only fooling herself. Blu wouldn't return, not without Rico.

"Please be safe," Jewel sighed. "We still need you. We still love you."

A bit of movement in her peripheral vision alerted her almost instantly. She spun around in time to see the arrival of a new creature, an eerie apparition who almost seemed to creep up to her like a phantom. She dressed herself in a thick white robe, her eyes though noticeable burned with bright fury and hate. Her eyes widened as she caught notice of her wings, the bright cerulean feathers hiding underneath the oversized sleeves. Jewel backed away holding a wing to her beak. She doubted her own senses, though she couldn't deny the creature stood before her.

"It can't be." Jewel gasped. "It can't be."

"But it is," The creature smiled. "You can't deny that, we both know."

"But you… you… you are."

"Dead?" The creature chuckled. "Maybe just a little bit. I've come for you, Jewel."

Jewel threw her wings through the air, striking a glancing blow at nothing. She opened her eyes to find herself alone. The room undisturbed by anything other than her own movements, a cup clattered to the floor, shattering upon impact with the wooden bark. She blinked a few times, shaking her head.

"I think the stress has gotten to me," She frowned. "At least I hope it's the stress…"

Jewel peered up at the full moon appearing overhead among the black star crested sky. Her heart thumped in her chest as she attempted to calm herself down. She shifted her attention to what she'd seen, could it really have happened? Did she really see what she thought she saw? Was there a logical explanation? Or was she simply going crazy with worry? After all it wasn't every day she was thrown into a strange world, dealing with power hungry monsters, fighting to save an empire, resting on the verge of a dimensional collapse. All of that stuff should have ended when the Dark Robe Society members fell by the wings of Blu. She watched the moon shift across the sky, a silent sentinel of the night.

"Are we really in that much trouble?" Jewel wondered. "What will happen if we fail? Will both worlds be destroyed?"

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu stopped in his tracks as he heard yet another stick break behind him. He spun around and stared through the trees at the blinding blanket of black stretching for untold miles through what he assumed was the Everfree Forest. He couldn't see a thing, the ground beneath his talons sagged underneath his weight adding a slippery slushy texture to the ground. He swallowed a lump in his throat and turned around to continue on his way.

"It's your imagination, Blu." He told himself. "It's dark, it's creepy, so your mind is just playing tricks on you… hehe boy would I love to be at home with Jewel and her wings wrapped around me, with the snoring of the chicks, or perhaps with Linda with my old cage and my little bell… oh, how I miss my little bell."

CRACK!

Blu stopped again, his talons sank in the slushiness of the ground. His eyes peered out with their peripheral vision, hoping against hope that he would see some sort of creature. He heard the fluttering of wings overhead, speeding past. He couldn't follow the movement through the darkness, but that didn't mean his ears couldn't pick up sound. He held up his wings and pointed them forward.

"Listen, I am well trained as a Hunter." He explained. "You don't scare me!"

CRACK!

Blu stopped and began to cower. His body trembled as the sound of branches breaking seemed to grow louder. His eyes narrowed as he began to think about what horrible creature lurked in the forest. He imagined some horrible zombie hawk running loose, looking to feast upon his brain. He thought about all the books he'd read while under Linda's care. Would his increased intelligence add any extra flavour? He didn't care to find out.

"H-H-Hello" He called out.

"B-B-Blu," A voice called to him. "B-B-Blu,"

Blu peered through the darkness trying to locate the source of the voice. He recognised it, though just barely. His eyes narrowed further, his wings raised to prepare himself. He sprinted forward, charging with all of his might, despite the slippery surface underneath his talons. He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Blu stopped as his talons hit something solid. He scraped his nails along noting the texture of the ground… no, it wasn't the ground, it was something else. He tightened his grip, pulling whatever it was up out of the muck. He strained his eyes to see, his beak dropping as he looked into the eyes of someone familiar, someone he knew quite well. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. After all this time, he looked into the eyes of Rico, alive and well, though very injured and barely hanging on.

"B-B-Blu," he gasped struggling to breath, his mouth covered with a sticky translucent mud which barely illuminated his face amongst the blackness.

"Rico," Blu gasped. "But we were told you were dead."

The macaw never answered, he fell back into the soggy ground, the earth almost devouring him. Blu bent down in an effort to save him.

"Don't worry, I'm going to get you home."

Blu lifted the injured macaw and carried him forward, back towards Ponyville, neither of them noticing the set of eyes watching them through the trees. A set of cruel, evil eyes, bent on one thing… revenge.


	22. Chapter 21: Another Friend Appears

_**Chapter 21:**_

_**Another Friend Appears!**_

Blu wandered forward carrying Rico on his back like a sack of potatoes. The injured macaw hybrid would move or grunt on occasion, jarred by Blu's strength starting to weaken, however he chopped it up to the severe pains seeping from Rico's injuries. Blu didn't want to examine the extent of the damages, for he knew full well that the boy had been out here long enough that infection surely would have settled in by now, and even worse, the surrounding area didn't show a single sign of battle damage. Blu knew from experience what that meant. Either the soldiers of Canterlot didn't put up a fight, or the macaw wasn't in the exact location of the battle… the latter of course would be the more plausible answer. Somehow he managed to drag himself through the jungle, which would only cause the severity of his wounds to increase tenfold.

Rico moaned again and shifted his position. In response, Blu tightened his grip and continued onward.

"Relax, would you." Blu groaned, unable to wipe the perspiration soaking his face. "I'm going to get you home, and then you'll be back to annoying me in no time, guaranteed."

Rico made a sort of coughing sound as if responding to the macaw's antics. Blu peered back at him and smiled. Although he still couldn't quite see what his daughter saw in him, he couldn't deny that when Rico rested as a half beaten, bruised, and severely swollen victim brought on by some evil creature's cruelty, at least now he wasn't so bad.

"Perhaps that is because he isn't talking." Blu joked. "Maybe someone needs to beat him more often."

"B-B-Blu," Rico choked out, coming to life for the first time since Blu found him. Blu shifted his eyes towards his charge and peered at him through his peripheral vision. Before he could speak, Rico choked out another message. "B-B-B-Behind you! Watch out!"

BANG!

The sound of a gunshot and splintering of the dirt beneath his feet forced Blu to drop to the ground. He released Rico and spun around towards the source of the loud popping assault. The smell of gunpowder filled his nostrils. The smoke still rose up from the impact spot. Blu's eyes widened in horror as he saw a figure clad in a black robe carrying a rifle. Blu raised himself to his full height, his beak curled into a vicious snarl. He recognised his attacker almost immediately, even after all this time.

"It can't be," Blu gasped. "Y-Y-You are dead. I saw you fall to your death."

"Dead," The robed creature laughed, he fluttered down to Blu's side, his wings still around the trigger of the rifle. "Perhaps just a little bit, hahahaha. But believe me you are going to be far worse when I'm through with you."

"How can you be a little dead?" Blu arched a curious eyebrow. "You are either dead or you aren't."

The robed creature laughed again and ribbed his hood away from his face. His dark eyes glared out at his two intended targets. The scarlet macaw Roger didn't look injured at all, he looked fine, completely healthy and full of wrath, evil, and just about every ounce of unpleasantness as he was the first time around. Blu stared in shock as he took in the sight of his opponent.

"I suppose the closest thing you can call me is undead." Roger explained. "You are correct, Blu. I did die, but I'm back, ready and far more than capable of taking you and your family down… and Amber isn't here to protect you this time. What are you going to do now, eh?"

Blu watched Roger's wing grip the end of the rifle and prepare to fire a second bullet from the chamber. He wouldn't be able to get away from it, he would die here. Blu closed his eyes and thought about Jewel, and about everything he could have had with his family, if only he'd given Rico a chance. He lowered his head and waited the shot, much to his surprise wouldn't come. He opened his eyes and peered at Roger who stood with his wing on his neck, he stared off into space, after a few moments he nodded his head.

"I understand," Roger frowned. "Consider yourself lucky, Blu. Someone out there has their eye on you, and has forbidden me to kill you just yet. But don't rest easy, I will be coming for you. One dark night, I'll roast you with the fires of Hell itself."

Blu looked on confused as Roger peered off again. He nodded, his anger and frustration showing upon his dark evil face.

"I know," he growled. "I'm on my way back."

Blu blinked and found himself standing alone beside Rico. He swallowed a large lump in his throat and proceeded to pick the macaw off the ground. He couldn't explain what happened, all he knew was that he needed to find his family as fast as possible and warn them of the impending danger threatening to destroy them.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Shining Armour stood outside of the Crystal Castle, his eyes rolled around in his skull out of boredom. He wished he would have been able to escape with his bride, but instead he worried about her safety. Things were slowly beginning to turn to hell, and with these weird creatures rampaging throughout his kingdom, he knew things would only grow worse. The Crystal Empire had fallen, and with it, so would all of Equestria, unless Celestia intervened.

He focused on a black robed scarlet macaw working his way towards him. He didn't appear to be in a good mood, his anger and frustration blanketed his face. Roger growled and grabbed the colt by the mane. Shining Armour lurched forward and winced in pain from the macaw's attack.

"What's the deal? I was sent to attack Blu, and then you force me to pull back? WHY? What is your game, pony?"

Shining Armour cleared his throat and addressed the creature. His voice reflected a serious tone, which would have impressed even the most foulest of creatures. During his time as Celestia's captain of the royal guard, he learned how to command respect.

"Your master has requested that you let Blu live." He explained. "He wants you to meet up with the others."

"And where exactly am I supposed to meet them?" Roger asked. "It's not like I know my way around here. This isn't my world, but I don't think your master would know that would he?"

"The master knows all," Shining Armour frowned. "And it would be wise for you to follow his instructions. Meet your companions, and then conquer as much of Equestria as you can, but Blu, and the rest of his friends are not to be harmed. Is that understood?"

Roger mumbled something under his breath which forced Shining Armour to strain his ears to hear him, the colt's eyes narrowed further as he continued to address the macaw.

"Now get going or I'll tell the master and have him deal with you."

Roger's eyes narrowed, his beak curled into a sneer as he turned his back. Without a word he spread his wings and took to the sky.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Rainbow Dash attempted to go about her usual routine of sleeping when she found herself awakened by a wing grabbing her muzzle. She came alert in an instant, her horrified squeaks unable to escape from her now sealed, cracked lips. She struggled to free herself from his firm grip, but found herself unable to do so, his big strong wings remained wrapped around her muzzle, drawing the life out of her.

"Shhhh, quiet moi amigo, or they'll hear us." A voice whispered in her ear. "Aye Corumba, you sure know how to cause one heck of a commotion. Just lay still and I'll save you from this situation."

Rainbow nodded her head and allowed herself to be pulled back into the bushes. Her body dragged along the ground, coming into contact with the occasional stick or rock which sent a pulsing pain to shoot through the core of her body. She knew from recent event that the pain came from her wings, now damaged and useless from the changelings attacks. They'd seen to the end of her dream, she had lost the one thing she loved more than her own life… the ability to fly. When everything stopped, she peered up at her rescuer, a black and white toco toucan.

"W-W-Who are you?" Rainbow Dash asked, "Why did you help me?"

The toucan shrugged his wings.

"Because you moi amigo. The name is Rafael, what's yours?"

The Rainbow coloured pony lowered her head and studied her useless stumps she once called wings. The blood stained feathers, the broken bones prodding from the top of the wing columns, even the bare spots where her feathers once stood in place, they were damaged beyond repair. Rainbow wanted to cry, though her tough demeanour wouldn't let her.

"They called me Rainbow Dash," She replied after a few moments. "Though now they'll probably have to call me, Rainbow Snail, or Rainbow Turtle, or Rainbow slowpoke, ugh I don't think I can think of anything worse."

"Aye-yi-yi, you are too serious," Rafael shook his head. "You still got your life, that's at least something, right? I say enjoy it, it is like a good samba, it may not last forever, but you have to feel every beat, not with your mind, but with your heart." Rafael put his wing on Rainbow Dash's head for added emphasis as he spoke. The rainbow coloured pony nodded in understanding.

"It's not safe here," Rainbow admitted. "Perhaps we should meet up with my friends. I think you also might have some friends there."

"Friends?" Rafael queried.

"Yeah, we found a pair of blue coloured macaws, they're at my friend Twilight Sparkle's place in Ponyville."

Rafael nodded his head.

"Let's get going." He said simply.

* * *

# # #

* * *

When Blu stepped into the library there stood an awkward silence between him and the rest of the occupants. They all peered at each other for a few moments, no one saying a word. They peered at the socially awkward macaw, but more importantly, they peered at his charge, the young macaw named Rico, who he carried on his back. No one knew what to think, let alone Rose or Jewel who proceeded to take a few steps forward to his side. Rose held a wing to Rico's face, her tears flooded her face as she turned to the others.

"He's still alive," She gasped. "we have to help him!"

Twilight peered at the unconscious bird for a few seconds and nodded.

"Finally, a chance to show off my organisation skills!" She boasted. "Fluttershy, take Rico upstairs, your knowledge of animals will prove useful. Rarity, gather some blankets to keep him warm, Applejack, gather food to keep his strength up. The rest of you should stay down here, except for you Rose. I'm certain he will want to see you when he wakes up. It would be a good idea to keep him calm."

All the creatures present nodded their heads in agreement, except for Blu. He peered at the ground. This wasn't exactly the welcome or thanks that he'd expected in his mind, but as long as Rico was safe, he didn't mind.

"You did a good thing." Jewel purred, wrapping her wings around Blu. "You are a true hero. He would be dead if it wasn't for you."

Blu didn't respond right away, his mind drifted onto Roger, and his threat. His eyes narrowed.

"We need to talk." He said. "I think we might be in bigger trouble than ever…"

# # #

Fluttershy took one last glance over the injured macaw who still laid unconscious on the bed. From head to toe, the yellow Pegasus had dressed him in splints, bandages, slings, and even a neck brace. She smiled and nodded to herself before turning to Rose and Twilight reassuringly.

"H-H-He is in such bad shape," She began, her head lowered, her eyes peered away. Her voice was naturally quiet and squeaky, but the tone itself worried Rose to no end. She would have raised her wings to her beak, but Fluttershy continued before she could make a move. "I am pretty sure he is going to be fine. We are just lucky, Blu brought him back when he did, even an hour later and I'm sure we would have been too late to save him."

Twilight smiled towards her friend.

"Thank you, Fluttershy. I knew you were the right pony for the job."

"We still have to wait to see," Fluttershy muttered. "I just hope your trust isn't on the wrong pony. Remember what happened with Phillymina?"

"Phillymina was a phoenix," Twilight reminded her. "It was just a natural life cycle she went through."

"But I made it so much worse than it needed to be." Fluttershy frowned. "I'm lucky, Princess Celestia was so forgiving."

"Perhaps we should let them be alone," Twilight admitted, not wanting to continue the argument. "Let's give them a few minutes."

Rose waited for the room to be cleared, she seated herself next to Rico, who looked far worse than anything she would have imagined. She reached out to touch his face, and frowned. Even underneath all the bandages, she could see the purplish bruising, cuts, scrapes, swelling, and blood stains. She pulled her wing away not wanting to injure him further, or agitate the swelling.

"Hey," he groaned opening his eyes. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

"I'm sorry too," Rose frowned. "This shouldn't have happened to you."

"Or anyone," Rico groaned. "Do I look as bad as I feel?"

"No," Rose shook her head, lying. "You look good."

"Really, because I feel awful," Rico tried to laugh. "So your dad is the big hero, eh? He always manages to come through."

Rose nodded. She leaned in planting a kiss on the end of his beak.

"That he does," She smiled. "Thank you, Dad."


	23. Chapter 22: Risen From the Grave

_**Chapter 22: **_

**_Risen From the Grave._**

The first few golden rays of the morning sunlight began to reach over the tops of the skyscrapers of Manehatten. The city rested a few short miles away from Ponyville, but its importance still shined throughout all of Equestria. Its large structures and towering skyscrapers offered the glimpse of a much brighter and far better future for everyone, and the fields at the end of the city offered a large variety of fruit and produce for the rest of the country side. On that particular morning however, the morning birds sang their songs, blissfully unaware of the events about to happen. Evil now rested among them, and destruction would prove to be the order of the day.

Marco sat with his back slumped against a tall oak tree. Through half open eyes, he peered out at the clear blue sky. He remembered the feeling of the breeze brushing through his body. He recalled the events of his life… that's right, his life… the life which had been ripped away from him, by a single spix's macaw. Only a day ago, he'd seen the same macaw wandering through the forest. How he ever managed to make it to this strange world, he would never even begin to understand. But in the end, he would have his revenge… that alone remained his top priority. He would slay his enemy and continue on in this world. Marco's thoughts fell upon the one who'd restored him to life, the Nightmare.

Darkness surrounded him, but it wasn't the cold clamminess of death. He moaned and came to life, a sharp pain pulsating through his neck and lower body. Marco came awake for the first time, and peered down at his body which once again stood in one piece. His jaw dropped as he stared in amazement. He couldn't really understand where he was, or how he managed to be alive. The last thing he remembered was fighting against the spix's macaw named Blu. He'd thrown a large ball of fire formed from his new abilities, but he hadn't expected Blu to be able to deflect it back towards him, even worse, the macaw jumped through the ball, and with a single slash of his bladed gauntlets tore through his body, separating tendons and his spinal cord.

"Awaken, Marco."

Marco looked up to see a dark hooded figure standing over him. The hawk knew this creature as the one who'd promised him the power of a god. This same creature who influenced his entire life, every action he made, now once again stood before him. Marco peered around for a moment, realizing that he wasn't dreaming, everything around him a testament to reality. The hawk stood up on his talons stretching the stiffness from his body.

"To think the bird I met so long ago would be the legendary Marco of the Dark Robe Society."

The hooded creature's voice sent a cold chill down his spine. It reeked of evil, yet it held a certain amusement towards him.

"I d-d-don't understand," Marco gasped. "I died. I was killed in the battle with Blu? How am I here?"

"You're quite right." The robed creature laughed. "We are in your grave right now. After your death, you and your comrades were all buried in the same grave, aside from Amber that is. I managed to give you renewed life, attached to the gem in your neck. That gem is a testament to our new found commitment for one another."

"Commitment…?" Marco arched a curious eyebrow. "I don't remember making a commitment."

"I want you to be the one to destroy my enemies." The hooded creature admitted. "The spix's macaws, Blu, Jewel, and their children… the macaw half breed named Rico… even their friends… Rafael, Nico, Pedro, and any other who call themselves their friends… serve me and the life I have bestowed upon you will last forever."

Marco nodded his head and raised a wing to his neck. He could feel the gem pulsating in his neck. He could feel its energy surging through him, making him even more powerful, he couldn't believe it.

"These gems, they can be really useful can't they?" he smiled. "All right, you have yourself a deal."

"Good," The robed creature laughed. He stretched out his hand and dropped six dark gems to the ground. "Now go forth with all of your comrades, and destroy my enemies."

Marco arched another curious eyebrow.

"But where are they?"

"They are in Equestria." The creature smiled. "I will open a portal for you, this world is like nothing you've ever experienced before. There will be plenty of victims for you, I promise."

"Hey, Big brother!" A voice called out to him.

Marco snapped back into reality, he looked up to see Roger, Jose, Nigel, and Jollo wandering in his direction. Each one of them held smiles upon their faces as they seated themselves next to him.

"Hey guys," Marco laughed. "It's been absolutely forever since I last saw you guys. What have you been up too?"

"Same old," Roger grinned.

"And what's that?" Marco asked with a smile.

"You know, killing, causing trouble, and tracking our enemies so we can strike at them as soon as possible."

Every creature present burst into spontaneous laughter.

"Where is Amber?" Marco queried. "Shouldn't she be here with the rest of us?"

"We couldn't find her," Roger reported, he lowered his head. "I sent someone to go and look for her, they should be back soon."

Marco shook his head and turned his attention towards the city. He smiled and folded his wings together. His eyes narrowed into dangerous pools of bloodshot fury which reflected no desire to continue the joking around.

"It doesn't matter." He admitted. "Amber is the weakest one of us. I bet she would only get in the way. Look at that city, it's humungous, and it contains plenty of victims for each of us. So what do you say? Lets' go and have some fun."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu paced around the lower section of the library, his eyes darted around in every direction, his beak trembled as he tried to form the words of the immediate threat to his friends and family. Around him, the ponies, and his family all waited for him to explain himself, though the only two missing was Rose and Rico. Jewel looked at him with a worried expression. He'd never been the most poetic of birds, and fear did often grip him by the throat, but this level of fear, this much concern, started to make her feel uneasy.

"What I have to say isn't going to be easy." Blu admitted. "The Dark Robe Society has returned, and they want revenge."

Jewel's eyes widened in horror at the news, she could recall their previous encounter with the evil organisation. All the death, destruction, and devastation they left in their wake couldn't be matched by any other opponents. They'd even managed to steal Blu from her, not once, but twice. She held up a wing and stood on her talons.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Blu nodded. "While looking for Rico, I was attacked by Roger. He seemed different though. He didn't appear to be the same as he was the last time we fought him. He seemed cold, and knew he was dead. He also held a weapon that should have been impossible for him to wield."

"Excuse me," Twilight raised a hoof, "but what exactly is this Dark Robe Society? We've never heard of them before, and there's nothing in my books about them either. Are they from your world?"

Blu peered at Twilight and nodded his head.

"You don't need us to explain about them. Since they are here, you will know about them soon enough. Their level of evil won't be contained for long, a lot of innocent ponies are about to die."

Rainbow Dash lowered her head. Even she didn't want to make a smart remark this time. It wouldn't be right under the present circumstances, especially with what Blu mentioned about ponies dying. She shuddered at the thought.

"S-S-Should we get everyone to safety?" Fluttershy asked. "O-O-Or what if we wrote to Princess Celestia? She would know what to do."

Twilight shook her head.

"No, if we did that, she might hold our friends responsible, she might lock them in a dungeon in a far away land, or banish them to the moon like she did with Princess Luna. We can't afford to take that risk. We'll need to find a way to stop these guys on our own. It is our only option."

Jewel rose up out of her seat and walked over to Blu. The macaw looked worried, and fearful of the future. He hadn't been innocent in the whole Dark Robe incident, his dark alter ego had hurt so many people.

"Hey, what's wrong, Pet?" she asked.

"It's nothing." Blu pouted.

"You're thinking about Dark Blu, aren't you?" She frowned. "About everything you did while under Marco's spell, aren't you?"

Blu didn't respond. He kept his attention to the floor.

"Listen to me, Lovehawk," Jewel teased, nudging him with her wing. "You won't become Dark Blu again, I promise. I won't let that happen."

Again, Blu didn't answer. Jewel wrapped her wings around him.

"I'd rather die, than let anything like that happen to you again. Besides, we know what'll set you free this time."

She leaned in and planted a kiss on Blu's beak, the entire room stopped quiet, stalled in time as the birds shared a romantic moment. The calm before the storm had begun.


	24. Chapter 23: Losses on Both Sides

**Chapter 23**

_**Losses on Both Sides!**_

Blu and Jewel became lost in the moment. With their wings wrapped around one another, they stared into each others eyes. Blu formed an awkward smile and peered out at the group of ponies with his peripheral vision. He had never been too good at these awkward moments, especially with a large gathering of creatures around him, but on this particular occasion, he didn't care. His wings drew down the crevices of Jewel's back, his beak curled into a more positive smile.

"Um excuse me," a voice filled the room, breaking the romantic atmosphere. "But isn't it considered rude to ignore your guests?"

Blu pulled himself away from Jewel and stood to his full height. Something about the voice filled him with a familiar dread. He could recall it from once before, during their final few moments in Rio before it crumbled into the fiery abyss of molten rock. His eyes narrowed, his beak curled into a savage sneer. His eyes filled with an intensity that even caused Jewel to shudder. He turned his attention towards the ponies who all seemed to freeze in their tracks and turn towards the newcomer, a strange mixed and matched creature with the head of a pony, body of a dragon, the tail of a snake, wings of a bat, and a large bear paw. The yellowed eye dragon like creature formed a smile and forced himself to chuckle. Within a second he appeared by his side and threw him away from Jewel. Blu could feel his body arch as he impacted a nearby bookshelf.

"Discord!" Twilight Sparkle gasped, stamping her hoof against the floor. Blu watched her eyes lower. Something about her voice hit the familiarity neighbourhood of being fearful and timid. "Just what in Celestia are you doing here? You're crazy if you think we'll let you turn Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world like last time."

"Yeah," Rarity piped in, her eyes lowering in a stern gaze. "Shouldn't you be rotting in your tacky stone prison?"

Blu watched Discord teleport himself next to the three ponies and allowed himself to chuckle once again. His small claw like hand drew down Twilight's face. The single fang which curved from his mouth straightened as he tried hard not to laugh at his adversaries' antics. His yellow eyes filled with delight.

"You ponies should learn to relax and have a good laugh." He said. "I mean come on, you are the most fun I've had in eons."

"What are you doing here?" Twilight repeated herself for the second time, her eyes not moving off of the dragon-a-chiss.

"I'm here to deliver someone to you." Discord said simply. "It's someone I am sure you have been dying to see for a while now, because I know they have been dying to see you… especially you, Jewel."

Blu struggled to his talons and tried to reach Jewel, but found himself collapsing back on the ground. He peered down to see the ground beneath him covered in soap. He groaned as the bubbles rose up into his face with each failed attempt to get back up to his talons. He groaned and gave up. He watched Jewel's eyes widen as she turned to Discord, he pulled his eyes from his sockets and rolled them to her, within a second they began to grow into his full grown body where he proceeded to pluck Jewel up from the ground. He chuckled and licked her cheek.

"I'm sure you'll simply die when you see who I have for you," he laughed. "She's someone you know quite well. It's your sister, Amber."

"No," Blu groaned, "J-J-Jewel,"

Jewel threw herself from the mixed and matched creature's arm and landed on the ground. Her eyes filled with terror unsure on if she heard him correct or not. She struggled to breathe as she watched a white robed creature enter the library. All eyes, especially Blu's and Jewel's fell upon the familiar white phantom type creature. Jewel and Blu recognised her almost instantly. The cerulean feathers, the eyes, her face, everything about her remained familiar. Her face wasn't damaged though, the destroyed. The entire left side of her face which had at one time been damaged and paralyzed now looked healed. Jewel backed away, her wings drew to her beak. Her eyes welled over with tears.

"No, b-b-but you're dead." She gasped. "You can't be here. You sacrificed yourself to save me from Roger. You gave up your spirit to save Blu from death. It isn't possible. How are you here? I dreamed of this moment, but I knew it could never happen for real."

Amber cackled and pulled her hood from her face and raised her wing toward the dragon-a-chiss. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at him with no sympathy or emotion. She looked pure evil, and ready to fight.

"Good work, Discord," She said. "Now get out of here, you are no longer needed. Go tell Marco that I'll deal with Jewel myself."

Discord bowed his body and nodded his head. He peered at Twilight and forced a smile.

"I'll be seeing you again, Twilight Sparkle." He chuckled. "You can't stop chaos, you can only delay it, and that's inevitable. Remember that."

With that the Discord vanished into thin air leaving the ponies and macaws alone to face off with the white robed macaw who continued to advance on them. Blu charged forward and wrapped his wings around Jewel. His eyes fell upon Amber who studied them for a moment.

"If you want to fight Jewel, then you're going to have to get through me first, Amber."

Amber eyed them for a moment and shook her head.

"So you're feelings haven't changed for one another." She smiled. "Good, this will make it easier for me."

Blu stood up and prepared himself to defend Jewel. His eyes narrowed, his wings stretched out covering most of Jewel's body. His chocolate eyes didn't move off of the white robed macaw.

"Relax, fool." Amber said. "I'm on your side. I just needed to trick that thing into leaving. Unfortunately though I don't have much time to explain myself so you must listen to me, or else you'll be defeated, I have the most valuable information you'll ever hear, and that is a guarantee."

Blu helped Jewel up onto her talons and formed a smile. Something about Amber's voice told him that she wasn't kidding. Her eyes reflected an oncoming danger. The female macaw drew a wing to her neck and let out a sigh.

"The Dark Robed Society have returned, and they're stronger than ever before, but believe me when I tell you, that you can defeat them. They are aware of this, and they fear this more than anything."

"How?" Twilight asked. "How can we defeat them?"

Amber peered at the purple unicorn, her smile deepened.

"It looks like you have new friends." She nodded her head and turned her back on her sister. "Jewel, Blu, and everyone, listen to this warning. You can not defeat the Dark Robe Society members like normal creatures. If you strike them down, they'll reform. Each one of us has a dark crystal in our necks."

'Than how do we win?" Blu asked. "If they can't be defeated, how can we possibly win?"

Amber nodded and lowered her head. She eyed Jewel for a moment and smiled.

"Please Jewel, come here for one moment."

Jewel wandered to her sister's side and peered into her eyes. Amber wrapped her wings tight around Jewel's body and hugged her tight.

"I'm so proud of you," she said. "After everything you've been through, you still managed to become strong and found happiness with the love of your life. Please remember how proud I am of you… now remove the gem from my neck. It'll be alright, I promise."

Jewel nodded her head and raised her wing to her sister's neck. She hesitated and frowned.

"But what will happen if I remove it?" She asked. "I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't" Amber said. "I'll be with you… but when the gem is removed, you must travel to the Crystal Empire. You must defeat the Dark Robe Society and their master. Save the world, I know you can do it, Jewel."

Jewel shed a single grey tear and stuck her wing into Amber's throat. Without much effort she pulled the gem loose and found herself holding onto it.

"Yes," Amber smiled. "I love you, Jewel."

Amber's body started to glow a bright gold, her eyes clouded over and closed. Her skin started to peel and dissolve into little specks of dust. Her chest thinned out and grew flat, her feathers faded, until all that was left of the macaw was a pile of bones which fell to the ground. Jewel eyed the remains of her sister and peered up at the gem which had renewed her life.

"THANK YOU!" A voice cackled. Without a seconds notice, Chrysalis burst into the room and grabbed the gem from Jewel's wing. She cackled and flew from the library without ever looking back.

"Why that no good stinking thief." Blu glowered.

"Its fine, Blu" Jewel admitted. "We'll get it back, because we're going to the Crystal Empire. If Amber is correct, this is where everything will be settled, and I for one can't wait to peck Marco's eyes out."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Luna stepped into the large crystal throne room, her eyes narrowed as she peered at the robed creature who had played a large role in her life. He stood before her, without any illusions or gimmicks. His dark eyes watched her approach.

"Welcome, Princess. I hope you are finding your room… accommodating."

Luna's eyes hardened as she listened to the mocking tone the robed creature gave off. He stood so close to her, and yet he gave no indication of being frightened or intimidated in any way by her presence.

"Why did thou bringest me here." She asked. "Why are thou keeping thy here against thy will?"

The robed creature chuckled and pointed towards one of the large crystal candlesticks brandish a nearby table. One of the sticks fizzled and died, leaving a few puffs of smoke in the air.

"One of the candles have died," he explained. "It begins."

Luna eyed the candle, a large lump formed in her throat. Her eyes couldn't peer away from the puffs of smoke still lingering in the air.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Luna asked.

"Simple my dear," The creature chuckled. "Your friends have found a way to defeat the first member of the Dark Robe Society, the first wedge of misery has been put into place. Everything is going as planned."

The robed creature spun Luna's head so she couldn't peer away from his eyes. He cackled once and watched the life fade from them. She stood in shock, though still alive. The robed creature smiled and stamped a single limb upon the ground.

"Now I have need of you, well not you exactly, I have need for the mare you once were. The vicious Night Mare Moon… prepare yourself Luna, you're life is about to change forever."


	25. Chapter 24: Dark Robes Reunited

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Sorry this took so long guys, I have been having problems with my personal life, with lack of internet, personal issues with family, it took a long time to actually sit down and write. I hope you enjoy this._

* * *

_**Chapter 24:**_

_**Dark Robes Reunited**_

The still forest seemed dark and foreboding, despite the vast amount of sunlight rising up upon the horizon. A cool crisp breeze greeted the dawn, and the lone traveller who worked his way along the path below. To the untrained eye, he looked like a normal bird, who continued on his way without a care in the world, but for those who knew him, knew that he was in fact quite the opposite. The unseen scars of thousands of battles remained etched into his core, the blood of several innocent victims flowed through his blood stream and veins... he was a bird of pure, and relentless evil.

Roger stopped dead in his tracks and shifted his head towards the horizon. His small ears twitched as a strange buzzing sound broke through the stillness of the forest. His eyes scanned the darkness, his breathing slackened and became almost non existent as he readied himself to strike the creature foolish enough to stalk him. His wings readied for the inevitable conflict. Although it would only be a warm up for up coming events, he would still earn bragging rights towards the rest of his comrades.

Before long a thick black creature with bright greenish blue wings dropped down from above and stood before him. He knew this creature from a previous encounter, the dreaded queen of the changelings, a conqueror like he himself was. Her sleek black body glistened, giving off a rather other worldly and yet rather intimidating feel about the soulless creature. Her eyes glowed like a dim fire, as she tossed him a small pitch black crystal shard.

"You're little friend allowed herself to be killed." Chrysalis hissed. "Perhaps your little group isn't as strong as we had hoped."

Roger bent down and rescued the small crystal and studied it for a moment. The dark energy within pulsated in his wing, filling him with a renewed energy. His face darkened as he swallowed a large lump of regret in his throat.

"Who was it that allowed themselves to be killed?" he asked.

"It was Amber," Chrysalis informed him, raising a colourless hoof to her mouth, and chuckling. "She was so pathetic. She actually pleaded with the enemy at the very end and died like a real coward. I'll say it again, perhaps your little group isn't as strong as we had originally hoped. Perhaps we wasted the crystals by reviving a group of buffoons who can't do their job half as much as their reputation claimed."

Roger clenched the crystal shard tighter in his wing and frowned. The cruel remark given off by Chrysalis filled him with furious anger. It struck a chord in his heart which ultimately forced him to shudder. Were they just pawns in a game far bigger than what they knew? Did their lives hold no value? Even though during his lifetime he too hadn't cared for any creature, and killed thousands, the changeling queen proved to be far worse than he could ever hope to be.

"We're stronger than you give us credit for." He snarled. "Mark my words, we won't lose any more members. We'll conquer this world, just like your master ordered us too, and we'll deal with his enemies too. They won't even know what hit them."

Chrysalis cackled and began to hover.

"See that you deliver that shard too Marco." She commanded. "He is waiting for you near Manehatten, just south of here. I'd be quick if I were you. It would be a shame if you'd suffered the same fate as Amber hahaha."

Roger growled as Chrysalis took her leave, his eyes slit into dangerous pools of vengeful fury. He couldn't shift his attention from Amber's gem. The girl he'd originally crafted into a member of the Dark Robe Society, the girl he almost treated like his family, was now gone forever. The gem which sustained her life, now stood in his wing, separated from her body and unable to revive her or assist her.

"Damn, Marco." He growled. "It is his fault that we died the first time. I will never allow him to lead me to my demise again. Even if I am branded as a traitor, and am forced to take him down with my own talons, I will continue to survive."

Roger shifted his attention towards the south, the direction Chrysalis pointed him too. His eyes narrowed. As much as he liked the idea of taking Marco down and getting his revenge for his untimely death, he didn't have the strength to take him on one on one… not yet anyways. He frowned and nodded his head.

"I will bide my time. The time will come when it'll be me versus him, and only one of us will be left standing. Until that day comes, I have no choice, I'll be his loyal terrier."

Without any further conversation with himself, Roger took to the sky and headed towards the city of Manehatten.

* * *

# # #

* * *

The cool breeze bristled across Marco's dark brown feathers, bringing him awake after a long and rather comfortable rest. He peered up at the clear blue sky and forced a smile. The sun shined bright overhead, bringing a sort of majestic feeling to the towering buildings and skyscrapers of Manehatten. In a way, it reminded him of his home, the city of Rio de Janeiro, which now rested as a desolate ruin and destroyed monument to its once former beauty. He chuckled to himself at the thought, he didn't really care too much about the inhabitants, though he would miss causing them to suffer under his cruel whim and slave handling capabilities.

Without a word, he shifted his back against the broad trunk of an ancient oak tree. The tangled and gnarled bark crammed into his spine allowing him enough support that he didn't need to worry about keeping himself sitting up with his own effort. His smile only deepened as he thought about the time when he would be allowed to roam free once again, and with the gem in his neck, he'd never need to fear dying, especially by the hands of a spix's macaw.

He recalled his defeat at the hands of Blu. The battle had been going well, his newfound strength seemed to be holding the spix's macaw at bay. He couldn't even make a move with receiving a devastating blow to his body. He could recall Blu's painful cries of agony, the sense of fear in his eyes, as he realized how helpless he was in his current situation. But through some trick, destiny pulled away, and Blu walked away victorious, and his body being split into two halves. He recalled that pain. His wings trembled as he thought about it.

"Damn you to hell, Blu." He growled. "Soon the time will come to settle old scores, and this time, I will be the one who will walk away victorious."

"Hey!"

Marco snapped back into reality, he shifted his attention towards the source of the voice who called out to him. Without taking the time to stand up, he smiled and waved at his gathering comrades. Jollo the albino spix's macaw, Nigel the sulphur crested cockatoo, Roger the scarlet macaw, and Jose the monkey.

"Hey guys! Long time no see." Marco grinned.

"Yeah," Jose chuckled. "It's been a long time since we've all been together."

"Well, not exactly, all of us." Marco admitted, his eyes clouding over in despair.

"Wait, so you know?" Roger asked. "About Amber and her-?"

"She was killed," Marco explained. "She was defeated by the spix's macaw and his group. It couldn't have been changed, no matter how much we wanted it. What we need to do is this, we need to press forward and avenge our fallen comrade."

The group of creatures burst out in spontaneous laughter, before each one shifted their attention to the towering city just off in the distance. Marco rubbed his wings together, a murderous smile forming on the end of his beak.

"And I know the perfect place to start."


	26. Chapter 25: New Friends

_**Author's Notes:**_

_First things first I apologize this is so short and that it took so long to get this out. I've been really really sick. I ended up collapsing and falling into a seizure (with no history of that) and they thought it was something wrong with my brain. They downgraded it to Blood Poisoning, and then even a stroke... NONE of which is the real answer. I have an abscessed tooth and its causing my whole body to go weird, so I have to deal with that. Unfortunately that means I won't get chapters out as fast as I used to do. But I will try and get a chapter out once or twice a month._

* * *

_**Chapter 25:**_

_**New Friends**_

Blu peered down at the dusty old bones which lay in a large cluster at his talons. He couldn't help but shudder. It hadn't even been a short time ago that they formed a living breathing and reanimated version of Jewel's older sister, and yet now there wasn't a single scrap of flesh, muscle, or even blood on the ends of the bones. The empty eye sockets watched him, devoid of life. A deep pit of despair enveloped him forcing him to swallow hard and shudder. Between seeing Roger in the Everfree Forest, and now Amber appearing as well, there couldn't be any doubt that something much bigger was going on.

The gathered group of ponies and small collection of his assembled friends stared at him. Even with their missing companions, everyone remained gung-ho on moving forward with their quest. All eyes settled on him, waiting for him to speak – though what he would say, he didn't have any clue.

"Ola amigos."

Blu jumped with fright as the doorway burst open and a black and white blur sped past him. He swallowed hard once again and trembled reaching a wing towards his heart. He couldn't tell if it even still beat, or if he was entering cardiac arrest, either way, he made a sickening face and fell to the floor. The gathered creatures turned towards the macaw with the tiniest bit of worry.

"Aye Corumba," the toucan shook his head coming in for a landing, he spread his wings towards Jewel and spun her around before dipping her. In that moment, he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Oye seniorita, I never thought I would see any of my amigos again."

Jewel smiled and straightened herself up to her full height. She peered into Rafael's eyes, though in secret she peered at Blu through the corner of her eyes. Her face went bright red with embarrassment.

"Welcome back, Rafael," she grinned a little sheepishly. "We're glad you are safe. Have you seen the kids anywhere?"

Rafael's face twisted into a more panicked expression. He raised a single wing towards Jewel and spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"They aren't with you?"

"Rose and Rico are," Jewel explained pointing towards the upper level of the library. "But we're still missing Jade, Buster and Kinski."

"We're also missing one of our friends, a Pegasus named Rainbow Dash." Twilight Sparkle piped in.

"Now that one I know," Rafael smiled. "I rescued her from a bunch of those weird black bugs. The Seniorita will be here in just a few minutes."

As fast as Rafael finished speaking, a bright blue Pegasus pony came crashing through the roof and landed on the ground with a sickening thud. She eyed everyone for a few seconds and formed a slight awkward smile.

"Oops, sorry Twilight." She murmured. "I uh thought I had more room to stop."

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight scolded, her eyes narrowing. "We were worried sick about you. Don't you ever run off on your own again-"

"Relax, Egghead," Rainbow Dash glowered. "First, I didn't run off, I used these bad boys."

Rainbow stretched her wings for added emphasis on what she meant.

"Second, I can take care of myself."

Rafael stepped in between the two ponies and formed a smile.

"Ladies, ladies, listen. Life is like samba, you have to take the time to enjoy every beat. I say we need to catch up and form a plan, we have a trio of missing kids, and a group of bad guys to beat."

Jewel nodded her head she peered out of the library window, out towards the fabulous kingdom of Canterlot hanging just off the horizon. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears as she thought about her missing children.

"I hope they are alright."

# # #

The sweet smell of berries fluttered through the darkness as Jade felt her eyelids flicker and begin to open. The world around her shook and spun as she felt her head pounding. Through her half slit eyes she peered out at the surrounding world, the towering skyscrapers, and loud commotion echoing around her. Lying up, she shifted her attention to a female blue and gold macaw standing over her.

"Ah, you're awake." The female smiled. "I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't wake up at all."

Jade wiped a wing over her beak, and tasted the bitterness of blood flowing through her mouth. She spit, watching a deep red glob land at her talons. She moaned and closed her eyes again.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"You're in Manehatten." The female macaw replied almost instantaneous.

"You're a funny macaw, but I imagine you've been through much… considering the way you talk in your sleep. It sounded like you've been through a frightening ordeal."

"Who are you?" Jade asked. "How did I get here from Rio de Janeiro?"

Jade opened her eyes again and peered at the strange bird, she seemed friendly enough, though she didn't quite understand the situation.

"The ponies call me Marigold because of my coloured wings. Though I am not quite sure what Rio de Janeiro is? I've never heard of it."

"Well I can say I've never heard of Manehatten either," Jade groaned. "So I guess we're both confused."

"Eat up," Marigold smiled. "I thought I'd bring you some dinner. You know just in case you needed food."

Jade rolled herself onto her side and sighed. The sweet smell of berries filtered through her tiny nose. She studied them for a moment, testing the firmness of the bright red berries for a moment. They didn't look poisonous, though it was hard to tell with such little outdoor experience. Chancing a bite she swallowed one and formed a smile.

"Not bad," Jade smiled. "It's almost like a very weirdly shaped raspberry just without the seeds."

After the small meal, Jade eyed two large birds entering the area with Marigold at their side, all three birds seated themselves and eyed her carefully. She recognised two of them almost instantly. Buster and Kinski, her two older brothers.

"Hey there," Buster smiled.

"Hi, Jade." Kinski followed.

"We were beginning to get worried about you." Buster admitted.

"Very worried," Kinski frowned.

"Did you know we're in an orphanage?" Buster asked.

"This is a place for birds who have no parents." Kinski mentioned. "Its kind of strange, they'd never have a thing like this back where we come from."

"This place may be strange." Buster muttered.

"But you'll get used to the way Equestria works." Kinski finished.

Jade looked at her brothers with a weird expression, her mind went over the word a few times, unsure of what to think about it.

"Equestria?" She asked.

"It's the world we're in." Buster explained. "It's not like Earth. There are no humans, there is only animals, and ponies."

Marigold nodded her head.

"Well they're close. We do have manticores, griffons, and other dangerous things, but the most common thing you'll see is ponies."

Jade shifted her attention towards the surrounding world. The large skyscrapers towering upon the horizon blocking out all but the tiniest bit of her home in Rio, she let out a sigh and laid herself back.

"Perhaps I'll give this place a chance." She sighed. "At least until we get home."


	27. Chapter 26: Poison Master's challenge

_**Chapter 26:**_

_**The Poison Master's challenge**_

Marco stood to his full height and surveyed the towering skyscrapers of Manehatten. For the past few decades the city stood as a symbol of pony perseverance and dedication that could never be brought to an end. The earth ponies who'd started the city hadn't had it easy, for hundreds of years they struggled cultivating and farming the land, and struggled to bring a large population to the area, despite the troubles, they continued on and succeeded, making Manehatten one of the largest populated cities in all of Equestria.

Marco spread his wings and let the wind sweep across his broad feather column and tail. The sense of peace and harmony surrounded him as the golden rays of sunlight soaked him as they spread through the gaps between buildings. The bright blue sky remained untarnished by any cloud, and the world seemed to be at a standstill… he would have to change that of course, a thought which forced him to chuckle to himself. He lowered his wings to his side and felt his bladed gauntlets. It had been a long time since he last used them in combat – since his defeat at the wings of a spix's macaw named Blu. Since the spix's macaw had left him to die.

"I'll get you," Marco snarled. "Mark my words macaw. You will fall before my power. You will suffer and you will die, the way Marco suffered and died."

The hawk threw his head back and let loose a wicked cackle. He stamped his talons against the ground and let himself enjoy his devious thoughts. He would savour every last strike, every last injury inflicted, and he would make Blu beg for his life before cutting him down. There would be no easy end for the macaw, there would only be pain, suffering, and torture, before he threw the macaw into the darkest void.

"Master Marco," a voice rang out from behind.

Without a word, the hawk shifted his attention towards one of his companions – a strange albino spix's macaw – the macaw knelt down and kept his head lowered and eyes shut. Before long, Jollo began to speak further, chuckling insanely in between short gasps and muffled breathing.

"Pardon the interruption, but Jollo would like to carry out Jollo's own plan. If it pleases you it would serve as an introduction for what you will do to that little fool. Besides, Jollo has a score to settle with a lovely lady."

"Oh no!" Nigel interrupted. "Don't you even think about it, the pretty bird is mine."

"Cram it, cockatoo," Jollo spit with disgust towards Nigel. "Jollo finds your lack of respect insulting."

Nigel stamped a single talon across the ground and raised his feathery crown. His eyes glared at the spix's macaw, his beak curled as his temper rose.

"I'd watch myself if I were you, or you might find your own neck under my powerful talons."

"ENOUGH!" Marco raised his wings. "It was petty little squabbles like this that made us fail the last time. We're one unit, we're the best band of mercenaries, and we're out to avenge our deaths. We've been given a second chance at life and we aren't going to waste it. So none of you will do anything, unless I give you the orders to do so, am I understood?"

Both birds nodded their heads.

"We understand." Nigel and Jollo admitted.

"Good," Marco smiled. He shifted his attention onto Jollo, whose eyes remained narrow and full of a seriousness never before seen in the albino spix's macaw. They held a passion, a fury, which couldn't be denied.

"You know the time and place for your vengeance?" He asked. "We've been given strict orders and we must follow them through."

"Jollo knows the time and place," Jollo admitted. "I have full intentions on making them go there."

Marco shrugged his shoulders.

"Very well, you may kill anyone you like, but leave Blu alive. He is mine and mine alone."

The albino spix's macaw nodded his head and took to the sky, never looking back at his companions.

"Do not fail me," Marco sighed, he raised his wings and turned his attention back towards the city. "Begin the attack!"

# # #

Jewel placed her wings upon the table and eyed Rafael. Her frown never faded into any sort of cheerfulness. With the talk of impending war, the dark robe society, and every other danger, she couldn't bring herself to be her usual sarcastic and feisty self. Her sapphire eyes narrowed as she spoke to Rafael, who listened to every word she said with a great interest and sinking heart.

"So that is where we stand," she admitted finally. "We're not in a very good place, and we leave for the Crystal Empire first thing tomorrow morning."

Rafael nodded his head in understanding.

"I see, moi dues amigos, you've been through a lot. Thankfully Rafael is here to help."

"Great," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "We have yet another bird helping us out. It's not like there is something important going on or anything."

"Oh come on, have I ever let you guys down." Rafael winked at Jewel. "I don't think so, and so it is settled, tomorrow we go to this Crystal Empire together."

As quickly as Rafael spoke, the roof of Twilight's library ripped itself off its hinges. Splintered wood, large support beams, shelves connected to the upper level all clattered to the ground with thunderous force and noise. Clouds of dust rose into the air, causing everyone to cough.

"What on Earth was that?" Blu asked, regaining consciousness and eyeing the massive destruction around him.

"I'm surprised you don't remember me, Blu." Jollo cackled stepping into plain view, his wings encircled around a large canister. His eyes glistened bright as he turned to Jewel. "And after everything we've been through… Jollo must say, he is extremely insulted, friends shouldn't forget friends."

"Jollo!" Blu and Jewel gasped together, their eyes narrowing in unison as they recalled their previous encounter which almost left Blu and Rose dead.

"We aren't friends." Blu growled.

Twilight Sparkle peered at the menacing macaw, her ears twitched and eyes widened as she took in all the destruction. Her face twisted into a insane smile.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Twilight gasped. "I just re-shelved this room, oh please tell me I didn't lose the magical chronicles that every unicorn should know volumes one through thirty six, they were extremely hard to find and-"

"Focus!" Rainbow Dash twisted Twilight's head towards the major threat in their company. "You can be an Egghead later, when there isn't some evil bird capable of ripping the roofs off of buildings."

"With horrible fashion sense." Rarity pouted. "Look at those white feathers, they're so tacky."

Jollo pointed the canister in the white unicorn's direction, he formed a wicked smile.

"Jollo likes you," he grinned. "So feisty, just like Jewel. Unfortunately, Jollo can only pick one lady, so goodbye."

Without wasting another second, Jollo popped the lid of the canister and a huge cloud of black smoke filled the room. The evil macaw cackled as he watched Rarity hold a hoof over her mouth. The smell was unbearable, it matched the stench of rotting fish, soured milk, rotten eggs, and enough sewage to fill a hundred sewer systems. Rarity couldn't block out the suffocating stench and collapsed to the floor.

"HAHAHAHAHA, this is only the simplest of Jollo's poison." Jollo laughed. "It soaks through the skin and the eyes instead of through the nose or by ingestion. You can't defend against it. You're doomed."

Blu charged forward with all the speed his body could muster, but found himself stopped by Jewel. She peered into his eyes and planted a kiss on the end of his beak.

"No, don't do anything, not yet." She warned him. "One wrong move and he'll kill all of us. He isn't mentally stable."

Blu nodded his head and let out a sigh.

"But we can't stand here and do nothing."

"I didn't say we weren't going to do anything." Jewel winked at him. "We'll just have to take him by surprise. And I know just the perfect way of doing it."

Without any further conversation, Jewel stepped forward, her eyes lowered into a lifeless glare.

"Jollo, it's me you want right?" She asked. "Well, I surrender. You win."

Jollo put the lid back on the canister and placed it on his back. He eyed Jewel longingly and raised his wings towards her.

"I've waited so long to hear those words," he grinned. "But there's the trouble of your little mate, and your chicks… they must be dealt with."

"No!" Jewel shook her head. "If you want me, then you'll get only me. Leave Blu and the chicks out of this."

"Normally I would," Jollo admitted, "But like I said, you've proven to be too troublesome in the past. Therefore I leave you a challenge. I'll be taking Jewel to the kingdom of Canterlot, if you are going to try and save her, you have three days. Of course I would highly suggest that you don't come to her rescue, it would be a real shame if you found yourself tasting my toxins… they can be quite smothering."

Jollo cackled and blew a puff of smoke in Jewel's face. She gasped and fell to the ground within seconds. The albino spix's macaw smiled to himself and peered at Blu for a few seconds.

"Jollo will be waiting, Blu. Let's see if you're a hero, or a coward. Live or die, it is your choice, and Jollo will be happy to see you suffer especially when Jewel is all Jollo's."


	28. Chapter 27: To The Rescue

_**Chapter 27:  
**__**To the Rescue!**_

Jollo touched down on the south side of Canterlot, with his hostage in check, he chuckled to himself and allowed himself a quick survey of the area. The kingdom stood as a single castle formed into a little town, which rested on the side of a steep cliff face brandished with a waterfall flowing through the town's center. To reflect this, each building had been crafted out of white marble and stood in a rather elegant high class style matching the ponies who lived there.

Jollo felt the large bundle under his wings shift, almost immediately he shifted his attention down towards Jewel who squirmed and groaned as she began to come around back to the world of the living. She coughed and sputtered before vomiting a blackish muck – a run off of the poisons he used prior to her capture – and as he watched the commotion, he let his scheming smile grow wider. The female bird was everything he remembered her being, smart, agile, beautiful, and perfect to be his mate. She hadn't even aged a day.

"Oh my dear girl, you will be out of it for quite a while, but the poison won't cause you any serious harm."

Jollo cackled again and placed his wing around Jewel's tail feather. His face twisted into a rather savage murderous glance.

"But Jollo is afraid your days of moving are over, the toxins will slowly zap your strength until you become completely paralyzed, but that'll be okay won't it? A woman shouldn't move unless her mate declares it, right? Blu doesn't understand that, but that is why he would never make the perfect mate, unlike Jollo. You'll find true happiness again when Blu dies and you become Jollo's mate. Jollo promises you, it'll be the life you've always wanted."

The albino spix's macaw cackled again and lowered himself to the ground. He pulled his pack from his back and eyed the different contents it contained. Jars of Malox, cans of Rigil, even the occasional herb, along side of these he held a mixing bowl, a grinder, and a burner. He chuckled and began his work.

"Jollo best be preparing for Blu's arrival. Jollo will make his finest poison, and see to it that Blu dies quickly. Marco may not approve, but he had his chance to deal with the problem and exterminate the roach, besides it is the only way Jollo will get his prize… the lovely Jewel."

Without speaking, Jollo placed a small green herb in the mixing bowl and grinded it down to dust. He sniffed the aroma – an almost cinnamony smell – and proceeded to add the special ingredients to the bowl, a few leaves of the blood orchid, with a couple dips of Rigil, some tar, all heated upon the burner. With the added pressure of the heat, the mixture began to bubble and break down, turning into a gas which rose up into a small canister. After the preparation, he placed a lid upon the can and put it in his large pack.

"This should be enough toxin to kill one hundred spix's macaws." Jollo grinned. "There is no way Blu should be able to withstand it. When he comes to save Jewel, he'll be rushing into his final battle. Jollo will walk away victorious."

As if giving off a quick response to the albino spix's macaw's comments, Jewel cringed and started panting. Her eyes opened into tiny cracks as she groaned and whispered to herself.

"Blu… stay… away…"

"Awww, what's the matter?" Jollo grinned. "Are you scared for the little pathetic bird? Jollo assures you, you will love being my mate. I'll absolutely love doing everything to-"

Jollo let out a strangled gasp as he heard the sound of his neck snap backwards. He could feel his skin tearing apart into an open wound, the smell of blood gushed from his injury. His wings instinctively drew to the wound. His eyes peered down to see to see Jewel's talon sticking from his makeshift body. The feisty female macaw had somehow managed to strike at him, despite being paralyzed from the poison in her system. Jollo gasped and stumbled backwards a few paces.

"N-N-No!" Jollo gasped. "Y-Y-You can't hurt Jollo… y-y-you can't."

Jewel formed a quick smile.

"I-I-I'll never be your mate." She groaned. "I b-belong with Blu."

Without a second's delay, Jollo jumped on the female and slammed his wing across her beak. Despite being able to strike him once, she still didn't have the strength to fight him off or defend herself - a fact which Jollo was more than eager to use to his advantage.

"Jewel, if you won't have Jollo as a mate, than no bird will have you as a mate. Jollo will see that you die, yes? Watch as Jollo strangles the life out of you. Sleep, little princess, yes, sleep forever."

Jewel struggled to free herself from Jollo's clutches but found it no use. She didn't have enough strength to fight him off for a second time. The macaw's smothering wing blocked out all the air. The world around her began to spin, and fade, at least until she saw the light. Jewel's eyes widened as she watched Jollo spin around, only to fly backwards as the strange light slammed into him.

"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!" The light demanded, beginning to take the form of a rather beautiful pony with a horn and wings. Her mane flowed showing off a rainbow of colour, light greens, light blues, even pink. Jewel found herself staring past all that and eyed the picture on her hips, a majestic golden sun.

"What is the meaning of all this?" The pony asked, drawing herself to her full height, her white wings spread filling out her rather intimidating figure. She eyed Jewel who couldn't peel her eyes away. "And just why are you attacking this poor creature. You definitely do not seem like you are from here, but you will quickly learn to respect our customs."

Jollo forced a smile and spread his wings, reaching for a canister of poison to defend himself. He'd heard of this pony before, and wasn't intimidated in any way by her presence. He cackled once and prepared himself to attack.

"So you're the infamous Princess Celestia, Jollo heard so much about. Jollo must say, you're shorter than Jollo expected."

"How odd that you refer to yourself in the third pony," Celestia queried. "You're brain, there must be something off about it. How horrible, I am sorry to hear that. But that doesn't change what you are doing."

"Who asked you?" Jollo growled. "Jollo does what Jollo wants."

"A dangerous concept," Celestia declared, "And you are okay with this? To fulfill your own desires regardless of who you hurt is such a disappointing way of life. Believe me, I know this better than anyone. Friendship, loyalty, respect, those should be the driving factors to life."

"Jollo did not ask for your opinion." The albino spix macaw sneered. "So buzz off and return to your castle. Jollo must return his attention to the lovely Jewel."

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she focused on the bird, her muzzle twisted into a more defensive sneer. She focused her magic into her horn, preparing to defend the bird if necessary.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." She admitted. "I can't in good conscience let you hurt another creature."

Jollo's beak formed a sneer, his wings tightened around the lid of his canister. He prepared himself to pull it off, ready to strike the ruler of all Equestria down. She wouldn't know what hit her.

"JOLLO SAID BUZZ OFF!" he yelled blowing the canister and its contents in the direction of the princess. A large cloud of black smoke enveloped Celestia, drowning her from sight. Jollo cackled knowing that she wouldn't survive the effects of his toxin and the knowledge he held about the various poisons under his control.

"Yes, let the poison consume you. It'll drown into your brain shutting down all your impulses. Let it suffocate you and drag you painlessly into the world of eternal sleep. Jollo will feel no pitty for you, for you SHOULDN'T HAVE STUCK YOUR NOSE IN WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG!"

Celestia stepped forward out of the smoke and formed a confident smile. She glared at the albino macaw and shook her head.

"I gave you a chance to turn your life over to the magic of friendship. I gave you a chance to stop your evil ways, but I see now that you can't, you are too far gone, and even now I can sense the evil within you, it is similar to that of an old enemy I once defeated, it is similar to that of my sister before she became Night Mare Moon, it is the same as Discord. You're existence is too consequential for everyone else, therefore you must be dealt with."

Jollo dropped to his tail feathers and tried to scurry backwards, his eyes filled to the brim with fright until he couldn't back away anymore. His wings clutched the side of a building, the only thing stopping his escape.

"Please, don't hurt Jollo." Jollo begged. "I'll do anything… anything."

Celestia shook her head and let loose a blast of pure magical energy which engulfed Jollo. The albino spix macaw couldn't run. He peered down as the flesh from his body began to peel away into dust. His eyes clouded over and transformed back into their empty eye sockets. The last thing Jollo ever did was crumble to the ground as a collection of bones.

"He's gone," Celestia sighed. "I could sense that he wasn't truly here anyways, he was just an image of his former self."

"That's because he was."

Celestia turned her attention to Blu who came in for a landing at Jewel's side. He rubbed his beak against her, and shed a few tears.

"Jewel, are you alright?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Celestia admitted. "The poisons in her system won't last too long. It seems the only one he wanted to hurt was you… so tell me young macaw, what did you mean by he was just a shell of his former self?"

Blu got up onto his talons and lowered his head.

"They call themselves the Dark Robe Society, there is seven of them. About a year ago, they tried to take over our world using murder, destruction, and schemes to bring themselves into a position of power. It would have worked if I hadn't stepped in and stopped them, unfortunately that meant killing them. Now it seems they're back, and they've somehow got their hands on some form of dark magic and in doing so it granted them renewed life as long as the jewels remain in their bodies. Unfortunately with the Dark Robes, it won't end until they're defeated. All of Equestria will be in extreme danger."

"Do you think our problems could be related?" Celestia asked. "That the enemy who is controlling everything, is the one responsible for bringing the Dark Robes back to life and putting Equestria in danger?"

Blu nodded his head.

"It's crossed my mind and that is what concerns me, if the Dark Robes are in on the plot, then we need to ask ourselves why?"

"Then you must delay no longer, first thing tomorrow you and Twilight Sparkle must travel to the Crystal Empire, the magic the Empire contains is so powerful it shines across all of Equestria, if love and peace take hold, that will be what Equestria sees, if evil seizes it, than we're doomed to live in a world of nightmares."

"No pressure," Blu sighed. "Then it is settled, we leave tomorrow."

# # #

Deep in the castle of the Crystal Empire, the mysterious cloaked figure watched as the second candle flickered and died. He folded his limbs together and let out a wicked laugh but showed no other emotion. His dark eyes watched as the last few clouds of smoke vanished in the air like a phantom.

"So the second candle has gone out, the time is drawing nearer." He said to himself. "Soon the time will come for Blu to achieve his true destiny, and Marco will be the one who will make him face it. Let's hope that Blu is intelligent enough to see things the proper way."


	29. Chapter 28: Feeling Homesick

_**Chapter: 28**_

_**Feeling Homesick!**_

Jade fluttered to a small tree branch and eyed the last few rays of the setting sun. Off in the distance the towering city of Manehatten, shimmered a glorious majestic scarlet, reflecting the sunset in all directions for the world to see. The young female let out a heartfelt sigh, she remembered a similar sight in her home land – the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro – everything seemed so familiar and yet it also seemed so different. Her heart gave off a flutter of butterflies, which forced her wing to her stomach. She groaned as she realised the truth. In every sense of the word, she felt homesick.

Her mind raced with thoughts, what were here parents doing? Did they make it to this strange new world? Were they safe? She couldn't think of any answers, instead she only felt saddened and lost in despair. She thought back to her brothers' and their enjoyment of the adventure, and how they said she would grow used to this place, but she couldn't do that. No matter how hard she tried… she wanted to go home.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked her.

She turned to see Marigold landing upon the tree branch. Her eyes full of concern for the young female macaw. Jade's eyes returned to the cityscape, filling to the brim with heartbroken tears which threatened to overpower her.

"I want to go home," Jade admitted. "I miss my tree, my nest, my parents, and how dad would over react to the tiniest thing, or how mom would try and embarrass him with flattery. Things just aren't the same here."

Marigold smiled and seated herself next to the macaw, she wrapped a wing around the young girl and nodded with understanding. In all her years at the orphanage, this feeling of change, despair, loneliness, all seemed to cling with the territory. Many of the orphans remembered their parents and remained devastated at the loss. She pointed a wing towards a group of birds flying through the sky and spoke in a soft gentle tone to allow Jade to grow more comfortable around her.

"Do you see those birds up there?" She asked, "Many of them feel the same way you do. When they lost their parents and they came here, they were frightened and scared. Their lives had changed in ways they couldn't even begin to imagine. Many of them will never get to see better days. That is why I am here, I can help take care of them, and at least offer them hope. One day they'll continue on with their lives, even if it doesn't get better, they'll at least have something to look forward too."

Jade turned to Marigold who seemed to follow her gaze out towards the city.

"But there is one thing I do believe. Your parents are out there, and they're looking for you, I've seen lots of birds come here, but you've still got hope. I can see that you will make it back home one day, just think of this as a much needed and rather relaxing vacation. I'm sure it'll take your mind off of your troubles."

Jade tried to force a smile –even a fake one- and shifted her attention back towards the city. The sun was starting to get really low on the horizon, and the sky itself began to change from a bright orange to a deep bluish purple. The warm breeze swayed across her feathers, bringing her to a false sense of security.

"This place, it certainly is beautiful isn't it?" She admitted. "Even if this world isn't my home, I must admit, it is unique."

"You know what?" Marigold sighed, "I'm in complete agreement."

"Well I think I'm going to head to bed," Jade admitted yawning. "It's been a long day. Maybe tomorrow we can talk some more, I'd love to get to know you."

"Likewise," Marigold smiled.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jade laid in a small makeshift nest. She tossed and turned, moaning as her head filled with nightmarish visions. No matter how hard she tried to fight them off, she couldn't and thus became helpless to their influence. Damp perspiration worked its way done her forehead, as she became lost in the vision her mind created. In her dreams she imagined standing in a world very much like her own, though everything seemed covered in a bright orange veil. She could hear the commotion of creatures all around her, yelling and calling out to her, but she couldn't find them. She spun around looking for the source of the voices but found herself unable to see anyone or anything except the bright orange veil.

"Where am I?" She asked herself.

As if in a quick response the veil shifted, spreading around her like a terrible serpent poised to strike. The smell of fire and brimstone engulfed her, forcing her to her knees. There wasn't any smoke, and yet she couldn't breathe. Coughing, she found herself peering out at a burning city. Tall skyscrapers burned, the sound of splintering glass erupted through the air. As far as her eyes could see, a raging inferno spread throughout the cityscape. The girl knelt in place, horrified by what she was witnessing. Devastation, destruction, death, and worst of all, she couldn't do a thing to stop any of it. She felt helpless and alone.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Jade peered up to find a dark robed figure standing at her side. His face couldn't be seen amongst the blackness, though his eyes, a deep bloodshot and dark red, burned bright amongst the consuming flames. He chuckled to himself and placed a hidden limb upon the bird's head, he felt unusually cold to the touch which caused Jade to shiver under the clamminess and sharp chill sent through her spine.

"JADE!" Buster and Kinski growled as they came in for a landing. They dropped ready to pounce on the dark robed figure.

"Get away from him!" Kinski sneered.

"He's pure evil!" Buster piped in.

The dark robed figure laughed and shook his head. His eyes began to glow brighter. He rubbed the female's head tighter.

"You fools," the robed figure cackled. "She's already mine! She is mine to control, and she is mine to do with as I wish… now kill them."

Jewel found herself moving forward, despite her best efforts to stop herself. Her limbs wouldn't respond to her brain activity. Within seconds she stopped inches from her brother's face and forced a smile.

"Goodbye, dear brother."

"JADE!" Buster let loose a horrified gut wrenching scream, which forced the child awake.

Jade gasped as she found herself back in her nest at the orphanage. She wiped a wing across her forehead and found a dampness to it.

"Huh? I never knew it was possible for birds to sweat," she mused. "But still, what was with that dream?"

Jade's heart sank as she noticed the familiar bright orange glow seeping from outside. The smell of fire and brimstone hadn't disappeared, it seemed to be haunting her, even though she knew full well that she sat there, awake and alert. She charged to the hole of the tree leading to the outside world, her eyes widened in horror at what she saw. The burning city from her dream… Manehatten… the city seemed to be engulfed in a large inferno… no it wasn't just the city, the forest itself burned. The cracking of wood broke through the air, and the tree gave off a sudden violent lurch forward. Jade fell forward, her back arched as she made contact with the ground below. She peered up as the tree gave way, falling to the ground.

"JADE! WHERE ARE YOU!"  
The female macaw heard the sound of her brothers calling out to her, but she couldn't see them. She scrambled to her talons and scurried along the ground. Her fear took root, paralyzing her wings, keeping her from flying.

"JADE!"

Without warning, Jade found herself being lifted into the air. The area below her seemed to vanish amongst the flames, ending any life unlucky enough to be in that immediate area. The female macaw peered up to see Marigold, panting as she attempted to support the bird's added weight.

"Y-You're quite heavy," Marigold panted. "F-F-For such a little bird."

Jade remained silent, her eyes focused ahead at the city of Manehatten. From their vantage point in the sky, they could see the destruction of the city, the crumbling skyscrapers, and the burning forest. Before long, she landed, placing Jade upon the ground. The female blue and gold macaw fell to the ground, sobbing, her wings slammed against the ash ridden dirt.

"Everything, I have worked so hard for, it's gone. I've failed the children, I've failed everyone."

"I wouldn't go that far," Buster admitted coming in for a landing.

"Yeah," Kinski nodded. "You got Jade out safe."

"That's right," Buster frowned. "She would be dead right now if it wasn't for you."

"Agreed, one hundred percent." Kinski smiled.

"Wrong!" A cruel voice hissed.

All eyes fell upon a group of creatures heading right at them. Their multiple coloured robes shined bright amongst the flames. A monkey, a hawk, a cockatoo, and a scarlet macaw, each one of them laughed a cruel evil laugh. Their eyes focused on the group of birds.

"What have we got here?" The scarlet macaw asked.

"I don't know Roger," the monkey chuckled. "Looks like we've found ourselves some survivors, wouldn't you say so, Marco?"

"It would appear that way." The hawk shrugged.

"And aren't they such pretty little things." The cockatoo grinned. "Not good for them, I can't stand pretty birds."

"So we'll just have to kill them." Marco grinned. "We can't have them running off and warning anyone, now can we?"

The group of robed creatures descended upon the little group of macaws, and readied themselves for the kill when Chrysalis showed up, her hooves slammed upon the ground.

"Stand down!" Chrysalis smiled. "Do not hurt them."

"Who asked you?" Marco spit with disgust. "I was under orders to kill everyone in the area. That includes these guys."

"Your orders have changed." Chrysalis reported. "You are to take them back to the Empire, they still have some use. I believe there is still a little someone on your team missing, a certain blue macaw? Does that ring a bell?"

"BLU?" Marco gasped. "You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious," The changeling queen announced. "Blu is to join with you, anyway possible."

Marco let out a defeated sigh and rolled his eyes. He raised a wing and led his men forward.

"Seize them, take them back to the Empire."

Jade felt the cold icy grip of terror engulf her, doing the only thing she could think of, she spread her wings and took to the sky. Where she ended up, she didn't care, as long as she could fly as far away as possible.

"Get back here!" Marco screamed, preparing himself to fly, but found himself stopped by Chrysalis.

"Let her go, with any luck she'll lead Blu right too you," she cackled. "And when she does, you'll be waiting."


	30. Chapter 29: The Journey Begins

_**Chapter 29:**_

_**The Journey Begins**_

Marco burst through the large crystalline doors leading into the interior of the throne room where a dark robed figure greeted him. He stood tall, his eyes burned bright with a vengeful fury, the veins in his head bulged as he continued forward. His talons clanked as he stamped across the sapphire shore. In every sense of the word, Marco the hawk looked angry, and ready for answers.

"Ah, Marco, welcome." The dark robed figure chuckled. He stretched out a large limb allowing access into his private sanctuary, just behind the magnificent throne. Marco swatted the limb away and glared at his master as he passed. His bloodshot eyes full of anger and hatred towards the mysterious entity.

"Why?!" Marco demanded, his voice rang out as a cruel hiss. "Why did you stop me from killing off those little brats? You hired me to destroy all of your enemies and the last time I checked that still meant Blu and Jewel, and all of the spix's macaw species. And then when I finally get so close to spilling some blood, and I have a spix's macaw in my grasp, you go and force me to let them get away? Might I remind you that the girl who escaped is the daughter of Blu and Jewel? The two birds that you told me to destroy!"

The robed figure laughed and nodded his head. He didn't take his eyes away from the cruel hawk, his mood never seemed to dour. Marco felt himself under constant surveillance by his master, despite the fact that it seemed impossible to know just where he was looking. The solid red eyes burned bright amongst the darkness, adding a sort of demonic presence about him.

"I have my reasons," the robed figure said. "Very soon, Blu will face his destiny, and you must be the one to force him to face it. But in order for that to happen, we need to play a very strategic game of chess. Every piece must fall into place. Every action taken has a reaction, good or bad, which will ultimately aid or destroy our cause. You must play by my rules… or we don't play."

"YOU PROMISED ME ETERNAL LIFE!" Marco demanded. "But instead of delivering that, I've already lost one companion!"

"Two companions!" The robed figure cackled. "Jollo has fallen. The crystal he had is now in the possession of Blu and his friends."

Marco's eyes hardened, his wings trembled at the thought of another friend being killed off by Blu and his friends. Very slowly, the dark robe society seemed to be crumbling like rotten wood falling in on itself.

"All the more reason for revenge!" Marco declared.

"And you will have it," The dark robed figure laughed. "Believe me, you will have your revenge. Once the prisoners are locked up in the dungeons, you will take the remainder of your comrades and travel south towards Ponyville, eventually you will run into Blu and his friends as they are travelling north. There you will strike and destroy them all, except for Blu and Jewel."

"Why do Blu and Jewel get special treatment?" Marco asked.

"Destiny has saved them for a special reason. Their doom will come by their own hands. They will ultimately destroy each other as they become locked in mortal combat. To think, the love they have for each other will be their undoing."

Marco let loose a wicked cackle, but became silenced by the robed figure gripping his beak.

"Now… go… and do not fail me. You precious gift of eternal life hangs in the balance, you wouldn't like it if I had to decline my generous offer."

Marco lowered his head and listened to the robed creature's cruel laugh. He slammed his wing against a wall and cringed.

"I'll never fail! I won't fail! I can't fail!"

# # #

The crystalline cell doors slammed shut, locking the prisoners inside. Roger laughed as he watched the macaws spin around and slam their wings against the door, desperate to break free from their captivity. He raised his wings to the side of his head and cocked his head into them, pretending to be touched by their stubbornness and open defiance despite the odds stacked against them.

"Awwwww, aren't they so cute." Roger spit with disgust. "I hate cute! You'd better sit there before I open this door and hurt you. I'm sure Marco would forgive me if I were to have a lapse in judgment and temporarily lose myself to my anger."

Buster slammed his wing against the glass door again, his beak curled into a savage sneer. The young bird seemed to be foaming at the mouth almost as if he had rabies. His eyes never fell off of the cruel captors.

"My dad will defeat you, he defeated you once, he'll do it again!"

"Oh, I don't think so," Roger smiled. "We already have a plan in place for when Blu comes. He won't know what hit him."

"That's enough Roger!"

Roger froze at the sound of Marco's voice ringing in his ear. The macaw spun around to see the hawk standing in the doorway to the dungeon.

"Uh Marco, sir, I was just-"

"Save it, we have our new orders." Marco declared. "We are heading south to meet up with Blu and his friends, we are to leave none of them alive except for Blu and Jewel. We have something special planned for them. So grab your supplies, we're leaving right away."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu grabbed hold of Jewel's wing and peered into her sapphire eyes. The female macaw, the love of his life, seemed even more beautiful in that moment than ever before. No… he knew that to be a lie, Jewel, seemed to grow far more beautiful every single time he saw her. Blu lowered his head and traced his talon across the ground a little awkwardly, his breathing quickened as he fought to control himself from freaking out. Even after all this time, he still felt shy and nervous, even around her, or at least while other people and creatures were watching. He formed a confident smile, and tried his best to put a voice to his thoughts.

"Jewel," he began.

"Yeah?" Jewel eyed him, arching a curious eyebrow.

"Tomorrow we, um… w-w-we go out on our adventure, to try and stop the Dark Robes and whoever else is causing problems. I don't know what is going to happen, but I want you to know that I-I-I…"

Jewel giggled as she peered into Blu's chocolate brown eyes. He always seemed to get tongue tied when he tried to confess his feelings for her. Even though she knew how he felt, she couldn't tell how long it would be until Blu managed to surprise her and show any sort of connection to her.

"Go on, Blu," She said raising a wing to his side. "You can tell me."

"I don't know what will happen. I just want you to know that there is a good chance that one of us may not come back. If the worst should happen, I want you to know that I-I-I," he drummed his talon across his beak, and muttered to himself, after a few moments he took a deep breath and forced himself to say it. "I love you."

Twilight Sparkle who happened to be passing by at that exact moment turned her head and smiled at Blu. Even though she hadn't known him that long, she still knew Blu well enough to see his shyness and inner fear of rejection. She eyed Blu and nodded her head as she spoke.

"Blu, Jewel, we don't leave until tomorrow morning. If you two want to spend some alone time, its okay, you may go upstairs, I will see to it that none of my friends disturb you. "

"That would be great." Blu smiled at the purple unicorn. "Thanks Twilight."

Blu turned to leave when Jewel grabbed his wing.

"Oh no, Lovehawk, you aren't going anywhere. Not until we go over some battle plans."

Blu's face changed from cerulean to a deep crimson, he lowered his head to avoid Jewel's seductive gaze, but he found himself being dragged upstairs by the feisty female. Their last night together before their unpredictable and dangerous journey began would be one of passion, love, and romance.

Blu awoke bright and early the next morning and walked over towards the sink. He splashed water on his face and shivered. Today would be the day where he would be heading into the most dangerous situation of his life. He would be facing off against what could quite possibly be the most dangerous and evil creatures in the entirety of two different worlds. The Dark Robe Society's cruel antics weren't unknown to him and he'd been able to beat them back once before, but now they held a darker power, a dark gem which allowed them to survive any injury. They couldn't be beaten by sheer will or intelligence. They would always come back for more.

"Good morning, Lovehawk," Jewel's voice purred in his ear, she wrapped her wings around him, and planted a warm kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning Jewel," Blu replied. "How did you sleep."

"Like an angel," Jewel purred. "There's nothing like sleeping, next to you. Not really doing anything, just sleeping."

Blu again went bright red in the face.

"The sound of your breathing, it's just makes me glad to be alive." Jewel smiled, planting another kiss on his cheek.

"I hope we get to spend many more years together." Blu nodded. "I won't let these guys win."

"Neither will I," Jewel agreed. "We're going to kick some Dark Robe butt."

"Maybe," Blu's eyes widened, his eyes filling with a little bit of dread.

Jewel wrapped her wings tighter around Blu, she could feel his tension, and knew the troubles on his mind, it wasn't just about her or the kids, or even the fate of two worlds. He still remained haunted from their previous encounter with Marco, how he had been warped into a dark figure of his former self, and how he tried to be the one to end her life. He feared the eventual event of Dark Blu's return.

"Blu, don't worry." She smiled. "I'm not going anywhere, the kids aren't going anywhere, and I'll be by your side the entire time. We'll get through this together, not just because I love you, but because we're the best of friends, we're soulmates, and we know true love. We'll be fine."

"Yeah," Blu sighed, still not convinced. "I suppose."

Before Jewel could intervene further a knock on the door alerted both macaws. Within seconds, Rainbow Dash entered and eyed the two love birds.

"Twilight wants everyone downstairs, we're going to address everyone before we head out."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth across the room eyeing every single creature in the room. Three Spix's macaws, one blue and gold macaw, a toco toucan, and five ponies besides herself all stood too attention.

"Alright, so everyone listen up, I don't want anyone being a hero. We do things by the book, remember we're all friends and the princess is counting on us, we must not let her down. Even if we have to take a creatures life, we do it out of friendship and for Equestria, and we must never forget the deceased, be courteous and respectful, do not gloat. When we leave here, we head north, I wish we could have gone by train, unfortunately that is out of the question due to the recent attacks on everypony. With any luck, the journey should only take us three days, provided we don't run into any obstacles. Does anyone have any remarks to make?"

Blu stepped forward.

"I know these Dark Robe Society members, I may not know the other enemies as well, but believe me, if they've got the Dark Robes, their highly dangerous. They're blood thirsty killers and won't think twice about hurting you. Remain with someone at all times, we don't know where they are, so it should be remembered that we're in a very high risk scenario."

Blu lowered his head.

"And I thought Alice and Chloe were bad."

Twilight nodded her had and stepped forward.

"Alright everyone, let's move out. Our journey begins now!"

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

So the journey finally begins, what do the Dark Robes have in store for Blu, what is Blu's true destiny that the mysterious robed figure knows about. Is Jewel able to protect Blu? Let me know what you think, and thanks in advance for reviewing.


	31. Chapter 30: North Bound

_**Chapter 30:**_

_**North Bound**_

There is an old saying that echoes throughout the lands of the north, during the time of King Sombra's rule, it was meant to strike fear into the hearts of those who served under him, throughout the past thousand years however, it became so much more. A cautionary tale meant to descend between good and evil. The constant power struggle within everyone, as well as the forces of all nature and creation between dimensional gaps… to those who hear it, they would only assume that it stood as a simple children's nursery rhyme, brought forth from the ages long ago.

"_**To die is to live, to live is to die, for thee is the order which binds us all.**_

_**To live is to die, to die is to live, to not accept thee is chaos which spreads rampant.**_

_**Beware these two for the bitterness of enemies, for when chaos and order meet, all is lost. Ye, who seek to overpower me, beware, for when thee mix thy two elements, Equestria's destruction shall surely be.**_

_**Chaos, Order, two elements which must never meet! A doorway create to places long sealed off. For if the doorway opens, the demon shall be free. A king of darkness lost beyond time, shall fill the world. **_

_**Beware travellers, beware, for one of you shall meet the darkness, and only through love can one hope to stand bright. But with such power comes great tragedy, for whoever shall achieve this power, will never walk thy world, for thee is order amongst thy chaos. **_

_**Only with this sacrifice however, will one meet the oracle, and restore peace for those left behind."**_

Yes, as time continues to creep onwards the true meaning behind these words seem to be lost more and more amongst the ages, lost amongst the sands of time, and the twisting of fate. How unfortunate it is that there is now another new saying echoing throughout the land. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it… and destiny has seen that this price be paid, without any shadow of a doubt.

# # #

__Blu strained his eyes as far as they would allow him to see, with his wing held high over his head in order to block out the sun, he stood as the lone lookout amongst the group of assorted creatures. The ponies all talked amongst themselves, coming up with different strategies and planning ahead should the worst happen. Jewel, Rose, and Rico walked a little ways behind. Rose however looked a little winded and exhausted from the tireless hike.

There wasn't much to see however, stretching off to the north, rested a large area of grassland and common ground, but a little further beyond that, Blu could scarcely make out a large obstruction, though it stood just barely noticeable to him. Some sixth sense warned him that that obstruction stood as their objective. That it would be where they needed to go. He swallowed a large lump in his throat as a bad feeling swept over him. He wasn't sure what to think. Would they be walking into a trap set up by the Dark Robe Society? Or would they be running into some other enemy who wanted to cause them harm? Who knew how many creatures worked for the Dark Robes in this new world, and that is what scared him the most.

"Jewel," Blu beckoned his mate closer to him. "Do you see what I see?"

The feisty female macaw fluttered to his side and peered straight ahead in the direction that Blu indicated, she stared out for several moments before nodding her head, acknowledging Blu's theory.

"It looks like a cliff, or a small mountainous range. I've seen them before during my days as a lone hunter in the jungle." She admitted, she eyed Blu for a moment and noted his concern. "Do you think it could be some kind of trap?"

"Those Dark Robe members are a sneaky bunch. They could be up there just waiting to start hurtling boulders down on us." Rico piped in, "Somehow though, I doubt it. They always preferred a straight fight. They want to prove their power over others, instead of looking for cheap victories through conniving and trickery."

"Could there be a village?" Rose asked.

Blu and Jewel both thought about it for a moment. They eyed each other and shifted their attention back towards their daughter.

"It's possible." Blu muttered. "Minnesota had lots of mountains, though they were mostly volcanic and were formed from the Canadian Shield, but we did have a few towns and cities by those mountains. They seemed to go together like cheese and sprinkles."

Jewel peered at Blu, not certain on what to say. She couldn't argue with his knowledge about Minnesota, because she didn't know that much about the area, or the American lifestyle. She nodded her head in agreement, remaining silent, and admired Blu's intelligence.

"Let's hope there is a town there," Jewel sighed, finally breaking her silence. "It would be good to stop and rest for a bit."

"Did you really just suggest that we head towards a town?" Blu arched a curious eyebrow, uncertain on if he heard her correct or not. "Did Jewel, the gem of the forest, a bird known for not liking anything except the jungle, just admit to wanting to rest in a manmade or um pony-made town?"

Jewel rolled her eyes and shoved Blu playfully. She glared at him and formed a wicked smile.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"Come on you guys," Twilight interrupted the group of birds. "We really should get moving. We have a lot of ground to cover before the sun sets. We should hopefully be on the other side of this grassland before the evening arrives."

"Piece of cake," Rainbow Dash exclaimed, spreading her wings. "I'll be there in ten seconds flat."

# # #

As the sun began to set in the sky, the world around them began to surround them with a series of will o' wisps. They danced and swayed drawing attention of every member of the group who stared in awe at the sight of the magical little creatures. The faint sound of giggling children surrounded them in all directions, though none could be seen amongst the dim light.

"Wow pretty," Fluttershy squeed. "I could love them forever."

"Careful," Rainbow Dash warned. "They may be cute, but they are mischievous little guys."

Twilight Sparkle nodded her head, she could recall the stories of will o' wisps leading ponies astray and far off course from their desired target. In some instances they even led unwary prey into swamps where they were never heard from again. Twilight shuddered at the thought.

"Be careful girls." She said. "We shouldn't trust them. Just keep heading straight."

"Where are we anyways?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I've never been this far north before, except by train. I don't even think the weather teams come out this far."

"We're on the far side of the Unicorn Range." Twilight explained. "This is the birthplace of every unicorn in Equestria."

Blu studied the surrounding environment with a great fascination. His beak hung low as he imagined all the baby unicorns roaming the grassy field which stretched for untold miles.

"Cheese and Sprinkles," he gasped.

# # #

By midnight, Blu found himself staring at a sheer wall of granite cliff. Water rushed down from overhead as a crystal clear waterfall filled a large stream. He bent down and filled his wings, drinking greedily until he let out a mighty burp. Jewel and Rico followed suit, drinking until their fill.

Twilight stepped forward and eyed the large gathering of creatures. Her horn glowed as she pulled the map from her bag through magical means, and studied it for a moment. She nodded to herself, and spoke her thoughts aloud.

"The map says there should be a little town called Cammel-hoof around here." Twilight announced. "It is a Pegasus city that is built on the ground for the first snowfall of winter. Unfortunately for us, it is the only way to scale the cliff and proceed forward, and we can not afford the time to go around the long way. We have no choice but to find it as soon as possible."

"Then we better get started," Jewel declared. "We'll each split up in teams of two, and we'll meet back here in about an hour."

Twilight nodded her agreement.

"We're taking a risk doing this. If any of you run into any trouble, scream at the top of your lungs. We should be able to hear you. Let's get searching."

The group all split into teams of two. Blu and Jewel headed east, Rico and Rose to the South, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy headed west, while Twilight, Rafael, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie studied the waterfall for some answers. All of them remained unaware of the evil set of eyes watching them from above.

"It begins," Nigel cackled, spreading his wings and taking off. "I'll finally get to sink my talons into the prettiest bird of them all. I've waited so long for this moment." Nigel cackled in his insane banter, his feathered crown raised as he poised himself to strike. Jewel would finally pay, for being the pretty bird she was.


	32. Chapter 31: Hello, Pretty Bird

_**Chapter 31:**_

_**Hello, Pretty Bird!**_

Roger, the scarlet macaw, let his mood sink deeper into the pits of his stomach. His anger began to boil as he watched Marco from the corner of his eyes. The hawk didn't appear to be in any misgivings or depressed in any way shape or form. In fact, the hawk looked just the opposite. The veins in his head bulged, as he paced around on his large heavy talons, he mumbled to himself, almost as if calculating the odds of their victory. In every sense of the word, Marco looked excited for the thrill of the hunt, and their eventual victory, and he would be lying if he said he didn't feel that way as well. Somewhere out there, Blu and his friends were heading in their general direction. The only question was when, and where would the attack happen?

"Marco?" Roger found himself asking. "Can you tell us a little more about the one who revived us? I mean why would he do it? Why did he bring us here to this strange new world? Why does he have such an interest in Blu and Jewel?"

Marco spun around and stopped dead in his tracks. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Roger could see the determination on the hawk's behalf to keep whatever secrets he knew hidden from the rest of the group.

"Roger, we've been revived." Marco sighed. "Isn't that good enough for you? We've been given a second chance to do whatever we want, let's not waste time asking foolish questions, let's just enjoy the time we have left."

Roger's beak curled into a vicious sneer. He could feel the veins in his head swell as he thought about the hawk's words. He'd never expected Marco to share any information, but he would never have thought that Marco would have kept any secrets from the group. His wings trembled as he thought about it more and more, could Marco be trusted? He was the sole reason they'd died in the first place. Would they be walking into the same fate if they continued to follow him?

"He's determined not to give me any more information," Roger snarled. "The real question is why? Just what exactly is he trying to hide from us."

Roger slammed his wing against the ground and cursed under his breath. He continued to glare at the hawk, his mistrust of him shined like a bright beacon in his heart. In that moment he made a promise to himself.

"Even if it costs me the rest of my comrades, I will find a way to keep myself alive. Marco will not be leading me back to my grave."

Roger looked up as he heard the sound of talons striking the ground not too far away. He watched with great interest as Nigel came in for a landing. The sulphur crested cockatoo folded his wings and cackled for a moment.

"I found the pretty bird and that boyfriend of hers." He announced.

"Where?" Marco asked.

"They're just south of here, at the cliffs. They're trying to find a place called Cammel-hoof."

Marco formed a wicked smile.

"Okay this is it men!" he announced. "Nigel and Roger, you two go to the south, cut them off. Find any way possible to scare them into going back to the remainder of their friends. Once they're reunited, give the signal, the rest of us will ambush them. Remember, we want Blu and Jewel alive, those are our orders."

The group all nodded their heads, though deep down Roger didn't plan to keep his end of the bargain. Who cared if the spix's macaw or his mate died, as long as he didn't. He needed to look out for number one.

"Let's go," Nigel squawked.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu peered over his shoulder, his eyes adjusted to the darkness as he moved forward, trembling. Ahead of him, Jewel poked her head through bushes, trying to find any sign of civilization. Her beak curled as she continued to grow more and more frustrated with their fruitless efforts.

"There is no sign of any town or village around here." Jewel sighed. "This is ridiculous."

Blu let out a horrified gasp as he felt something crawl across his back. His beak trembled as he stiffened his body and raised his wings to get the female's attention, his eyes twitched as he continued to feel that something move closer towards his neck, working its way inch by inch.

"Ugh," he shuddered. "Is that a spider on my back?"

Jewel spun around as fast as possible and eyed him. Her eyes full of concern for her mate. She remembered the last time he mentioned something like that. Back then, there really had been a spider on his back. She remembered it clear as day, a large evil thing which even scared her as she thought back about it.

"Turn around. I'll see if you're okay." Jewel insisted.

Blu did as she told him and spun around revealing his back to her. Jewel's eyes widened in horror at what she saw… a big black spider with a red hourglass on its belly worked its way up Blu's back. She'd heard of these kinds of spiders before. The Black Widows, whose bite proved to be poisonous and life threatening. Careful as possible she swatted it with her wing, careful to avoid its pair of sharp fangs.

"You're okay. See it's nothing to worry about." Jewel let out a sigh. "It's just your imagination."

Jewel let out a sigh, knowing she couldn't tell him the truth. If she did, he would panic, and she couldn't stand to watch that happen. She forced a smile and turned Blu back so she could peer in his eyes.

"Are you ready to continue, Lovehawk?" She asked.

Blu nodded his head.

"Yeah," he panted, trying to catch his breath. "Let's go."

Before they could take a step, the sound of talons landed upon the ground. They turned around, both of them swallowing large lumps in their throats. But Jewel froze with fright as she heard his voice ring in her ear.

"Hello, pretty bird."

Jewel searched the darkness, unable to see the source of the familiar voice. She knew from the way he spoke who he was, but she couldn't see him. She raised herself to her full height and spread her wings to add to her intimidation factor.

"Nigel!" She demanded. "Show yourself!"

"What's the matter?" The cockatoo cackled. "Did ya miss me?"

"Never!" Jewel spit with disgust. "I wouldn't ever want to see you again. You're a disgusting sadistic bird who-"

"Flattery, flattery, it seems we are friends after all." Nigel cackled. "It's such a pity that I have to follow my orders."

Blu stepped forward. He raised his voice trying to hide his fear of the menacing cockatoo.

"Y-Y-You better not lay a wing on Jewel, or I-I-I'll be very mad."

Jewel rolled her eyes at Blu's insult and let out a sigh. She hadn't wanted him to be involved.

"Blu, don't, you're only going to cause us more harm than good."

"What's the matter, Blu?" Nigel asked. "Cockatoo got your throat? Do you let all the pretty birds do your fighting for you?"

Jewel heard the sound of wings break through the wind just to the north of their location. Her eyes surveyed the darkness as fast as possible and noticed a forest just to the south of their location. Without hesitation, she grabbed Blu's wing and forced him to run as fast as possible.

"Remember Blu, inside leg, outside leg, let's go!"

Blu and Jewel ran for their lives, and made it to the first tree. The female macaw surveyed the darkness again and waited. She panted as she tried to calm herself down, but found she couldn't. The terror in her eyes didn't go unnoticed by any creature, especially Blu.

"Jewel, you have got to calm down." He explained. "We're going to make it through this. He can't hurt us if he doesn't know where we are."

Jewel nodded her head.

"I know, its just that-"

CRACK!

The sound of wood splintering echoed through the air. Jewel looked up to see the tree protecting her toppling to the ground. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight.

"WHAT THE…?"

"Let's go!" Blu insisted, grabbing hold of Jewel's wing. The way she protected him, he would now do the same for her. His eyes glazed over in all seriousness. His body lost sight of his own fears as he became determined to aid the bird he loved.

"Run all you want!" Nigel cackled, catching Blu's attention. "You'll never escape me!"

Before Blu could take another step a large white wing beat Blu to the ground. His body hit the dirt like a sack of cement. He moaned, wincing in pain as he came to the realisation of the trick.

"Stay down," Nigel smiled revealing himself. "You've had a busy day. This is between me and the pretty bird. I'll deal with you later."

Blu struggled to his talons. He eyed Jewel who couldn't stood rooted to the spot, partially out of fear for her mate, but also because she couldn't escape. She didn't stand a chance against Nigel that much remained obvious from every encounter they ever shared together. Her eyes filled with fright, she couldn't breathe.

"What's the matter?" Nigel asked. "Are you too good to knock me into another river? Are you too good to try and claw my eyes out? Is your boyfriend too good to try and use another fire extinguisher and throw me from a plane? The two of you have caused me so much pain, and you know what? I've got a special job for you. You've attracted some rather powerful enemies, and he wants to see you locked up in the dungeons of the Crystal Empire."

"Jewel… Run!" Blu coughed. "Get… out of here"

"Shut up!" Nigel growled. "Don't listen to him. I am only going to give you one chance, if you attempt to run, I'll end you!"

Jewel fell to her knees and slammed her wings on the ground.

"JEWEL, RUN!" Blu squawked again.

"I-I-I can't," she admitted. "I can't leave you here."

Nigel cackled and threw himself upon Jewel, using his talons to slam her neck to the ground. He tightened them, and lowered his head inches from Jewel's face.

"Love… what a powerful… yet stupid emotion."

Nigel prepared himself to squawk at the top of his lungs to alert Marco of his capture, but before he could he heard another loud sound echo from the canopy above him. His eyes drew to the spot almost immediately to see Jade drop down and claw at his neck. Nigel couldn't get away, as hard as he tried, he'd been taken by surprise and could feel the girl's beak and talons digging into his neck.

"G-G-Get away!" Nigel hissed.

Jade found her mark, striking the black gem inside of Nigel's body. She began to pull on it, but couldn't get a firm enough grip. A sharp pain flowed through the cockatoo's body. He fell to the ground unable to move.

"I'll get you for this!" he declared. "You have no idea who you are messing with. I'll see you-"

Nigel stopped as he noticed Roger emerge from the darkness.

"Good, help me!" Nigel squawked.

Roger walked over to Nigel and formed a smile.

"I'm sorry, Nigel, but I can not do that." He admitted. "You see, I have a feeling that Marco is going to betray us all. He has something planned, and there is something that he isn't sharing with us, and I can not let that jeopardize my life. So please, forgive me."

Roger bent down and plucked the gem from Nigel's neck, and watched as the cockatoo crumbled to dust and bone.

"I will use whatever I need to, in order to make sure that I remain alive." Without waiting another second, Roger placed the gem in his own neck. "I now have two, but I could really do with four."

He spun around and headed over to Blu and grabbed the gems belonging to Amber and Jollo.

"I'll soon be able to take Marco down." He admitted. "Consider yourselves lucky. I am in too good a mood to deal with you today."

"But why?" Jewel asked. "Why don't you just deal with us now?"

"I only wanted the gems." Roger explained. "But believe me, the next time we meet, we'll be enemies again. Oh and with every gem my body grows stronger, so don't expect to be able to beat me."

Roger spread his wings and took to the sky taking off as fast as he could. Blu and Jewel watched as he vanished upon the horizon.

"We'd better go warn the others," Blu admitted. "If Roger is right, he might just be the biggest threat to us now."

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_So Nigel is gone, and that makes three down, three more to go. Will Marco catch on to Roger's betrayal? What do you guys think? Thanks for reading._


	33. Chapter 32: A New Plan

_**Chapter 32:**_

_**A New Plan!**_

Roger landed not to far away from where Nigel met his end and clutched his wings tighter around the gems stolen from Blu. He could feel the power from Nigel's jewel surge through his body, filling him with energy and strength far beyond anything he'd ever could of imagined. His muscles bulged as he left himself do a little victory dance, his talons clanking noisily as they came into contact with the soft dirt. He couldn't believe how much he'd been able to get away with so far. He'd plotted against Marco, killed off Nigel, and stole two gems from Blu, and Marco remained none the wiser about his true intentions.

"So, what do I do now?" he asked himself, his eyes continuing to peer at the gems in his possession. "Is the power within these gems the thing that Marco wants to keep a secret? I could use them for myself to power myself up even further, though I doubt I would still be a match for Marco's skills, or I could risk it, and let him take them from me. In doing that I could find out more about Marco's intentions and goals, despite his power boost."

Roger clutched the gems tight, his wing trembled as he weighed the options with a heavy heart. No matter what he did there would be just as many consequences, and he held everything to lose. His beak curled as he thought about Marco and how he remained to be so much stronger than he could hope to be. How did the hawk manage such a tremendous feat? It seemed almost impossible?

"What is his secret?" he demanded of himself. "What is he hiding? Does he know the secret of these gems? Does he know about the strength they can cause? Did he plan to use all of them for himself?"

He stopped and placed the gems back in his pack and shook his head. He needed more information before he could make any decision, his life depended upon it, and he would not let any mistake be the decision between life and death.

"Curse you, Marco." He growled. "You make it so difficult to scheme against you. It wouldn't be so bad if I knew what you were trying to hide."

"YO!" Roger froze as he heard Marco's voice call to him. He turned to see the hawk and Jose the monkey working their way towards him.

The three seated each other upon the ground and began to converse amongst themselves. Roger tried to avoid any and all eye contact with the hawk as often as possible, but kept watch on his action, in order to study him further.

"So I heard the news." Marco frowned. "As hard as it is to believe, I heard Nigel ended up losing to Blu and Jewel."

"Yeah," Roger arched a suspicious eyebrow. "I suppose that's true."

"So that leaves only the three of us left." Jose piped in. "Not very good odds when you think that there originally stood six strong creatures in the Dark Robe Society."

Marco remained silent, his talon dug at the dirt. He held a hint of sadness about him, which Roger took notice of. As much as the scarlet macaw didn't trust him, he hadn't expected Marco's reaction to be so bittersweet.

"There is one other member," Marco explained. "And I think the time has come to awaken him."

Roger's eyes widened at the news.

"There's another member of the Dark Robe Society? Who is it?"

"It's Blu," Marco admitted. "A short time ago, I cast a spell on the macaw and unleashed his inner personality. It twisted him inside out and made him become an entity known as Dark Blu. I think it is about time we let Dark Blu wreak havoc on the world once again."

"But how are we going to manage that?" Roger asked. "How can we possibly make Blu into this Dark Blu? I would assume you would have to use magic, but how would you get close enough to him? He doesn't exactly welcome or trust us and with good reasons."

Marco cut a wicked smile and raised his wing to beckon the two closer. His eyes burned like hellfire.

"I've been thinking about why his precious daughter managed to get away. I say we use her to our advantage. We'll force him to see things our way, or he'll lose her and he will have no one else to blame but himself!"

Marco closed his wing like a fist and made a crushing motion. He formed a wicked smile.

"It's how I did it the first time, and it worked. Oh déjà vu, it feels so good to be bad!"

Marco forced a wicked smile and began to sing.

_**"Now I know we've been malicious, spiteful and a trifle vicious**_

_**It's no secret that we've cheated and we've lied**_

_**We've done some double dealings, done some swindling and stealing**_

_**But that was amateur and heaven knows we've tried.**_

_**We will develop so much faster, now that we're working with a master**_

_**Who will help us cultivate our darker sides**_

_**You'll discover wicked ways, you've never known before**_

_**And you'll become almost rotten to the core!**_  
_**But it feels so good to be bad!**_

_**So despicable to be a deplorable cad!**_

_**It is just so thrilling, and so fulfilling**_

_**To give somebody the worst time they've ever had**_

_**Yes it feels so good to be bad!"**_

Both Jose and Roger curled an eyebrow as they listened to Marco who continued on his little excursion.

"Case in point, Blu doesn't know it yet, but he is in our power. He'll learn to pay the price when his youngest daughter suffers underneath our talons. I promise you, that by the sunset hour, Blu will turn over a new leaf and become one of the Dark Robe Society members once again!"

"But Marco-" Roger tried to speak but found himself silenced by Marco's wing gripping around his beak.

_**"You had your chance to do it, I entrusted you to do it**_

_**But you bungled it, and you threw your chance away**_

_**It's a mess that you've created**_

_**Should Blu be unable to be persuaded…**_

_**I'm not naming names, but someone has to pay!**_

_**Though you gave me cause to doubt you,**_

_**There is still a loathsomeness about you**_

_**That allows me to let you live this day**_

_**And when Blu becomes the creepiest, crummiest thing we know**_

_**You'll taste the joy knowing you've created the lowest of the low**_

_**YES it feels so good to be bad!**_

_**So deplicable to be a deplorable cad!**_

_**It's just so thrilling, and so fulfilling**_

_**To give somebody the worst time they've ever had**_

_**YES it feels so good to be bad!**_

_**YES It feels so good to be bad!**_

_**YES It feels so good to be bad!"**_

_**Marco waved his wing and cackled.**_

"Let's get moving. We don't have time to waste."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the group all gathered by the waterfall just as the first few rays of sunlight began to grace the world with its presence. Pinkie Pie jumped around, her cheerfulness greeted the morning with earnest welcome. Her smile never fading as she celebrated the day the same way she always did.

"Oh goody, goody, its morning you guys, its morning, oh my goodness, I am so excited that we get to continue on with our adventure today. Is anyone else excited that I'm excited huh? Huh? Huh?"

Rainbow Dash held her hooves to her face and pulled her skin down, she groaned as she tried to drown out the hyperactive pink pony who more often than not would get on her very last nerve.

"PINKIE PIE!" Rainbow Dash screamed. "ENOUGH!"

Pinkie Pie lowered her head and traced her hoof across the ground. Her puffy hair fell flat as she fought the urge to shed a couple of tears.

"You guys don't like me celebrating?" She asked, more than a little hurt by Rainbow's interruption. "Fine, I guess I'll go celebrate somewhere else."

"It's not that Pinkie," Twilight announced. "It's just we don't know where the villains are, and we don't want any actual noise to give away our position. We still have to find Cammel-hoof and we should be a lot farther along by now."

Pinkie Pie's hair bounced up once again and she let out a cheerful smile.

"Okay," she chuckled. "Jeeze, Rainbow Dash that's all you had to say. I was beginning to think you didn't like me."

"We couldn't have that could we," Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Nope, I mean like seriously, I'm the funniest pony around, I mean how could you not like me, huh? Huh? Huh? It's like impossible and would make totally go whaaaaa, if it turned out you didn't actually want to be my friend."

At that moment Blu and Jewel came stumbling out of the forest, Jewel fell to the ground and moaned as her body trembled from shock.

"What happened to you two?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It looks like you were in a battle." Twilight pondered, her eyes falling on the female macaw.

Blu nodded his head, and tried his hardest to explain what happened.

"Well we were looking for the village when we ran into Nigel-"

Rose fluttered to her father's side and placed a wing against him. Her eyes filled with concern.

"As in the Nigel?" she asked. "The one from all your stories, the cockatoo who worked for the smugglers back home in Rio and held a hand in kidnapping you not once but twice."

Blu nodded his head. He shuddered and began to explain himself further.

"Yeah, it turns out Nigel is a member of the Dark Robe Society, and he chased us to a forest. But it turns out he wasn't alone, we ran into Roger."

"Roger is crazier than ever," Jewel added rising up onto her talons. "He killed Nigel without even flinching. He's after all the gems so he can take down Marco, and become unstoppable."

"Why would he do that?" Rico asked. "You would think going up against Marco would be a losing battle even with more power."

"We don't know, but he told Nigel he would do anything to make sure he remained alive."

Fluttershy fell to the ground and shivered in terror. She couldn't stand the thought of such an evil creature.

"O-O-Oh no!" Fluttershy whined. "Think of what would happen to Equestria if he succeeded, all my little animal friends would be in danger."

"That won't happen, Fluttershy." Twilight reassured her. "Because we're going to stop him!"

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie smiled running up to the waterfalls edge, she placed a hoof on what should have been rock, and fell backwards into a large opening. "Hey," she groaned. "I think I found the village."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Every single member of the group's jaw dropped as they wandered through the cave just behind the waterfall and took in their first glimpse of Cammel-hoof. The ancient city stood carved from the cave walls, and looked every bit as new as they day it had been built over a thousand years ago. The large stone buildings stretched up to the cave roof, acting as support beams to keep the cave from collapsing inwards on itself. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the two Pegasus ponies of the group who'd grown up with the legend of Snowdrop, could scarcely believe their own eyes. In all their years, they'd never thought they'd be standing at the birthplace of the happy winter season.

"Oh sweet Celestia," Rainbow Dash said in awe.

Fluttershy nodded in complete agreement. Neither Pegasus pony could blink, nor could they peer away, they stood in amazement.

"According to the history books, this is where a young Pegasus pony named Snowdrop lived before she met the princesses and changed the future of Equestria. We're standing at the birthplace of winter."

"I-I-I can't believe it." Fluttershy admitted. "One little pony did so much for us, which is even remembered today. Who could forget the first snowfall of the year, and who could forget the wishing snow?"

"Definitely not the weather team." Rainbow Dash boasted, standing as tall and as proud as possible. "We work our flanks off all year to try and make winter perfect. It is Princess Celestia's orders."

"Come on girls," Twilight sighed, fighting off her desire to stay. "We have to get moving, we have a lot of ground to cover, and we still need to make it to the Crystal Empire. Every second we waste, is another second closer to Equestria being destroyed and my brother getting hurt."

As the group continued onward, Blu froze in his tracks and peered towards the cave wall. A small blur sped past him, causing him to shudder. He could feel a dangerous presence further in the cave, and he couldn't shake the feeling that before they found the exit, they would meet face to face.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_The song used is "It Feels so Good to be Bad" from the All Dogs go to Heaven 2 movie and soundtrack just with altered lyrics in various places, no copyright infringement is intended. _

_The character Snowdrop, is from the fan made episode entitled Snow drop, which in my mind is cannon with the rest of the series. _


	34. Chapter 33: NO MORE MISTAKES

_**Chapter 33:**_

_**NO MORE MISTAKES**_

The village of Cammel-hoof seemed to grow darker as Blu worked his way deeper into the cave. With every step, his talons made a soft clink as his nails scraped against the rocky outcrops of the cave floor. Above him, he could see a few stalactites hanging down like rows of jagged sharp teeth. He shuddered and continued to eye the scenery, from where he stood, he felt like he stood within the mouth of some hideous monster and the further in he went, the more dangerous the situation would become. He swallowed hard, trying to wipe the memory of the blur speeding past him a few moments earlier from his mind, but he couldn't. It served as a constant reminder of just how dangerous this place was. Without hesitation, he grabbed hold of Jewel's wing and began to shake.

"Blu?" Jewel began, noticing the rather unusual shakiness of his wing. She studied him for a moment, noticing the change in his demeanour. He almost seemed paranoid, afraid, and uncertain of almost everything going on around him. Her heart sank as she noticed the fear in his eyes. "Blu, what's wrong?"

The macaw swallowed hard again and tried to stop his wing from trembling. He lowered his head and attempted to avoid Jewel's sapphire eyes. His tail feathers drooped and swayed along the rocky outcrops of the stone floor. He couldn't hide anything from her curiosity, and he knew she'd proven that several different times in the past. She could read him like an open book, whether he wanted her too or not.

"N-N-Nothings wrong, yeah, nothings wrong. Why? Do you think there is? I'm fine, really."

Blu felt Jewel's wing release from around him. He turned his attention towards Jewel for a moment. She appeared to be staring at him, her eyes narrowed as she studied him, looking for any signs to validate her point. He froze realising that she found exactly that.

"Pet, come on, you know you can't hide anything from me." Jewel frowned. "You're scared. I know that because of your eyes, they aren't the soft caring eyes that I love. They are full of fear, even your breathing and heartbeat are faster. Why don't you tell me what is bothering you?"

Blu let out a rather defeated sigh and raised his eyes up towards the roof.

"Look at those, have you ever seen anything like them before. It's almost like we're in the mouth of some horrible creature. I can't shake the feeling that there is something ahead, something evil, and the closer we get to it, the more dangerous our journey becomes. What if it is something we can't handle? What if you get hurt? I can't live without you."

"Is that what's bothering you?" Jewel asked following Blu's gaze up to the ceiling. She could almost imagine what images would be racing through Blu's mind, especially since he's been in Minnesota for most of his life. He'd never been in a cave or any large cavern for an extended period of time before, and the first time always seemed to be a little frightening.

"Yeah," Blu admitted. "I'm afraid of the future. I'm afraid of being without you."

"Don't be," Jewel smiled. "We'll be fine."

As both birds and their companions continued on their way, no creature witnessed the shadows sweeping across the ground in hot pursuit.

* * *

# # #

* * *

The morning went off without much incident, before long however the group decided to take a quick break and have some lunch. Blu, Jewel, Rico, Rafael, Jade, and Rose all situated themselves on the far side of the cavern. A little spot illuminated by the florescent natural glow of the cave walls. On occasion they would peer over at the ponies who sat in their own little group, munching on hay or grass, or whatever else they'd packed for the journey. Blu however didn't have much of an appetite.

He toyed with a small piece of fruit in his wing –which Fluttershy had been nice enough to give him – but his stomach felt sick and rejected the idea of having anything in it. His eyes scanned the darkness, searching for any sign of movement similar to what he'd experienced earlier that day.

_If only it had been my imagination. _ Blu frowned. _Maybe then, things wouldn't be so bad, but I know what I saw. How do I get the others to believe me. _He peered at Jewel through his peripheral vision, and then shifted his attention towards Jade, Rose, and Rico. He lowered his head and bit into the fruit. _How do I even begin to warn anyone without causing a panic?_

"So Jade, tell us, where have you been?" Jewel asked. "We've been worried about you."

Jade bit into a small piece of mango and frowned. She thought back about her brothers, and Marigold who now sat imprisoned somewhere called the Crystal Empire. Her mind fell upon those weird individuals who'd captured them. Each one of them wore a different coloured robe, and seemed to be a different animal united for a single cause. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke.

"I've been at a place called Manehatten." She admitted. "I met some friends there, a young macaw named Marigold, and my brothers were there as well."

"Your brothers were there?" Jewel gasped, a wide smile appearing on her face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

"Are they safe?" Jewel asked.

"I don't know," Jade admitted. "The other night, I woke up to see the city burning. We got attacked by a group of creatures all wearing robes, they captured everyone and took them to a place called the Crystal Empire. I got scared and flew for my life. It wasn't until a couple days later that I found dad fighting off with one of those weirdoes. "

Blu and Jewel peered at each other for a few moments and frowned. They'd come so close to finding the rest of their children, but the chance had been ripped away just as fast. Blu's heart sank even further, and he let out a depressed sigh. He slammed his wing against the ground.

"Cheese and Sprinkles," he cursed under his breath. "Can't anything ever go right, just once?"

"Nope," Jewel grinned. "But hey, come on, Pet. Things not going right is part of the fun."

Movement in the darkness caught Blu's attention. Without hesitation he jumped up onto his talons and pointed with his wing.

"Jewel! There's something alive in here!"

Every creature present rose to their full height and readied themselves to defend themselves if necessary. Blu's eyes hardened, his beak curled as his instincts took over. His feathers bristled as his temper rose.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" he demanded. "I know you're there."

"Very good," a voice replied from the darkness. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice."

"Marco!" Blu squawked.

The hawk stepped forward from the darkness, his eyes full of delight towards seeing his old enemy once again. He spread his wings apart and wrapped them around the male macaw. He winked at him and chuckled.

"I must say it does feel good to see my old friend again," he admitted. "I haven't seen you since… oh that's right, you left me to die."

"I'm not your friend." Blu replied.

Marco placed a wing over his heart and pretended to be scolded by the macaw's remarks. His eyes sank and filled with makeshift tears.

"Awww Blu, that wasn't nice." He admitted. "After everything we've been through. You might just say it's a bit splitting? Which reminds me, do you have any idea how painful it is to be cut in half?"

"What do you want, Marco?" Blu demanded. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why, I want you, Blu." Marco cackled. "You see, the Dark Robe Society has been a little under the weather lately, with a string of bad luck following us, it seems none of my comrades could defeat you. Amber, Jollo, Nigel, they all fell, and now there is only three of us left, which got me thinking, you were such an obedient servant back when I had your brain wrapped under my little spell. I think it is time for history to repeat itself, and for Dark Blu to take his rightful place at my side."

"Never!" Blu snarled. "I'll never join you."

Marco cackled and snapped the end of his wing like a pair of fingers. His smile deepened as he continued to speak.

"Blu, Blu, Blu, tsk tsk tsk, you should know by now that I don't give anybody a choice. You will join me, or you will lose your daughter."

Blu's ears twitched as he heard Jade let out a horrified scream. He spun and saw Jose and Roger with their hands around Jade's neck. The monkey and scarlet macaw grinned as they enjoyed every second of their diabolical plan.

"NO!" Blu gasped.

"Join us!" Marco grinned. "Or the girl dies."

"Cut it out, Marco" Twilight Sparkle demanded. "This isn't fair."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash snarled. "Even I know this is going too far."

"Yeah!" Fluttershy piped in, "Stop it right now, or I'll give you the stare."

Pinkie Pie and Rarity jumped to their friend's side, their eyes burned over into vengeful fury.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Pinkie Pie declared.

"Amusing," Marco cackled. "But you're all horribly misguided."

Blu peered at his daughter and could see the terror in her eyes. His wings trembled as hopelessness worked its way into his mind. He couldn't make a move without hurting somebody. His youngest daughter's life stood in the balance of a decision which would cost him his freedom and family.

"Perhaps I could sweeten the deal," Marco smiled. Without wasting another second, he vanished and appeared by Jewel's side. His bladed gauntlets held tight against Jewel's throat. The female macaw squawked as she felt the barbed and razor sharp edges of the blades held tight in her throat.

"Blu!" Jewel gasped. "Don't do it…"

"I-I-I can't lose you!" Blu yelled. "I can't live without you or Jade or the rest of the children. You mean the world to me."

"Then join us." Marco declared. "Say you'll join us and the girl will be allowed to leave here unharmed."

Blu lowered his head, all the thoughts, all the decisions, everything rushed through his mind. He held so much to lose, and so much to save, and it all came down to a choice. The pressure of his heart caused pain to flow throughout his entire body, he couldn't stand it.

"Jewel, I'm sorry." He sobbed, falling to his knees. "I'm so sorry."

"What's that?" Marco asked. "I couldn't hear you over the sound of having someone's life so close to my blades. Say the words, Blu!"

"I'll join you," Blu sobbed. "Just leave my family alone."

"Okay," Marco smiled releasing Jewel. "Oh, and Roger, Jose, kill her."

Jade let loose a fatal scream as she fell to the ground, Blu's chocolate brown eyes widened in horror as he watched his youngest daughter fall to the ground lifeless. He scrambled over to her and saw her breathing fall flat and non existent. In that moment, Blu couldn't take it anymore, he glared at the hawk, his beak curling into a vicious sneer far unlike anything Blu had ever managed before. The veins in his head swelled as his blood began to boil.

"WHY!" He demanded. "YOU TOLD ME YOU'D LET HER GO!"

"I said join us and the girl could go, I never said which one." Marco cackled. "It doesn't matter, you're ours now."

Blu's chocolate brown eyes glazed over in vengeful fury, he charged forward lashing out at the hawk with all of the strength he could muster. Once, twice, three times Blu lashed out, attempting to strike Marco, however no matter how hard he tried the hawk backed away and parried. Without warning, his back came into contact with the cave wall, and he couldn't back away no more.

"YOU MONSTER!" Blu screamed.

Jose rushed forward just as Blu moved to strike with all of his strength. The macaw's eyes widened as he came into contact with the monkey.

"NO!" Blu growled.

Marco forced a confident smile and peered at Jose who rose to his feet uninjured thanks to the effects of the gem in his neck.

"The macaw was aiming for my gem." Marco admitted, realising the truth. "Good work, Jose, you saved me."

In that second, Blu collapsed to the ground, his body trembled and convulsed as he felt himself slipping away. His heart stopped beating, closing tight as it became encased in a thick block of ice. His brown eyes transformed, changing to a deep amber. His cerulean feathers darkened and held an almost greenish tint to them.

"Good," Marco smiled. "He's awake."

"Indeed he is," another voice called out, alerting everyone in the room.

Jewel wiped the painful tear from her eyes, her jaw dropped as she took notice that the room itself appeared to be changing. The stone walls looked almost like they could melt and become a liquid at any moment.

"What's happening?" She asked.

'I-I-I don't know," Marco admitted. "Where are we?"

"You're in my world," the voice admitted, a cloaked figure appearing. "It's rather different isn't it?"

"It's you!" Marco gasped. "You're the one whose been giving me orders."

The robed figure laughed and nodded his head.

"And here is another one, grab Blu and your comrades and return to the Crystal Empire. I'll deal with the rest of them myself."

Marco nodded his head and turned his attention to Jose and Roger.

"You heard him, grab the macaw and let's get out of here!"

The Dark Robes did as requested and ran for their lives, as the dark figure descended upon Jewel.

"You have proven to be more trouble than your worth." He declared. "But that is a remedy I'll gladly deal with right now."

Jewel let out a horrified scream. She couldn't run or move away from the dark entity. Its glowing red eyes burned into her very soul, filling it with dread and nightmares.

"Jewel!" Twilight shouted, firing a magical blast from her horn. The magical attack bounced striking the figure right through his chest. In that instant it fell to pieces revealing nothing more than a cloud of air.

"It's a fake," Twilight declared. "It must have been designed to allow enough time for the Dark Robe Society to escape with Blu. But I don't understand, creating doppelgangers is advanced magic, it is meant for the highest level unicorn, and even Princess Celestia has trouble pulling it off. How could there be anyone with enough power or skill to be able to do it so easily?"

"I don't know," Jewel sighed. "But I am going to get Blu back."

* * *

# # #

* * *

A lone changeling cackled as the Dark Robe Society members stopped before him and knelt down on their knees. Blu remained unconscious, though his transformation still continued to happen.

"Why did you send the puppet?" Marco asked. "We could have finished them right then and there."

The changeling peered away for a moment before answering.

"We've been watching you, Marco." It admitted. "If you would have continued fighting, you would have been defeated, they know of your weakness now."

"What?" Marco gasped. "Because I almost backed myself into a corner, and the macaw almost removed my gem?"

The changeling's smile never vanished.

"You may have the power you had at the time of your death, using all the powers of your comrades, but you can still become so much stronger."

Marco nodded in understanding and turned to Roger.

"The game is up." He admitted. "Hand them over, NOW!"

"What?" Roger asked a little confused. "What are you talking about."

"Enough with the games, Roger!" Marco announced. "I know full well that you took Amber's and Jollo's gems from Blu a short time ago, hand them over."

Roger lowered his head and nodded tossing the gems to Marco without further argument.

"Very good," Marco admitted, placing the gems into his neck. "You made a wise decision on not using them for yourself. It would be a shame if I needed to destroy you. But remember this one thing… do not make any more mistakes. I only creatures once, the next time you do something like this, you'll be my enemy."

Roger turned his back on Marco and let out a sigh.

"Don't be angry, I've been meaning to give them to you the entire time."

_So it's settled, Marco knows about the gems. _Roger frowned. _But does he know that I killed Nigel? I can't afford to make any more mistakes. I will do whatever I need to, in order to remain alive._


	35. Chapter 34: Too Far Gone?

_**Chapter 34:**_

_**Too Far Gone?**_

Lead grey skies blanketed the entire region as the entire group of ponies and the birds of Rio de Janeiro emerged from the cave. Their faces all hung low as they lamented their most recent loss, true they lost Blu, but even worse they lost the life of Jewel's youngest daughter, Jade. Jewel kept her head hung low, her tears flowing down the crevices of her face as she carried her daughter in her wings. The young macaw appeared to be at peace, her wing drawn to the spot where two wounds sat embedded in her neck, left from the blade which stole her from the world. Jewel didn't want to see the marks, she couldn't take her eyes off the peaceful smile on the young girl's face. Somehow, it looked as if she'd accepted her fate which made Jewel wonder if she suffered during her final moment.

"Jewel," Twilight began. "I'm so sorry. What you're going through, it can't be easy. If you need a friend, or just want to talk, let me know."

Jewel closed her eyes and kept her head bowed low showing no indication that she heard Twilight's request. She walked a few paces and lowered Jade down to the ground, a spot which would serve to be her final resting spot. Jewel looked around at her surroundings and sighed, she stood under a small oak tree, on the far side of the Unicorn Range, it overlooked the entire flatland, and the cave where she'd taken her last breath. She nodded to herself, this spot would do nice enough, at least for a burial spot that wasn't near their home.

"I love you," Jewel sighed, "And so does your father, he gave his freedom to protect you, and I'm sure deep down he wishes his sacrifice wouldn't have been in vein. I promise you, Equestria will be saved, and we'll rescue Buster, Kinski and Marigold from the Crystal Empire, I'll also see that Marco and his Dark Robe Society suffers for taking you from us. Please be at peace and rest easy, my beautiful Jade."

Jewel's tears fell harder as the ponies started to work on digging the grave. Her head shook as she knelt down and covered her daughter with all of her might. She didn't want her to leave, no matter how much she knew she couldn't keep her any longer. This wasn't like Blu who'd never been found during the time they thought he'd been killed. This time, there stood no doubt at all that the bird was gone. Jewel's wings held her daughter tighter.

"Mom, it's time to say goodbye." Rose admitted, wrapping her wings around her mother. "There's nothing else we can do for her. We have to let her rest in peace."

Jewel stood up, and nodded.

"I know," she admitted. "Jade wouldn't want us to mourn her. She would want us to go and rescue Blu, Buster, Kinski, and her friend, Marigold. That must be our top priority, and that is exactly what I'm going to do."

"What do you suppose we do?" Twilight asked.

"I am going after Blu," Jewel admitted. "I am the only one who can free him from the darkness. I've done it once, and I will do it again. The rest of you will continue onward to the Crystal Empire, find Buster and Kinski and end all of this. Once Blu is free, I'll meet you at the Empire, where we can face off against Marco and that monstrous entity that is controlling the strings behind all of this."

"Are you crazy?!" Twilight asked, her voice shaky and uncertain. "They'll be expecting you to go after Blu. Every single book I've ever read with a similar plot mentions that you'll be walking into some kind of trap."

Jewel forced a confident smile.

"Well, it looks like I'm just going to have to spring that trap."

Without wasting another moment, Jewel took to the sky and headed north, towards the Crystal Empire, the one direction she figured that they would be heading with her captured husband.

"Well," Twilight sighed. "We still have a burial to perform, let's deal with that first and then look for a way through the cave so we can head to the Empire. We have exactly ten minutes. I have a feeling Jewel will need as much help as possible if she is going to succeed."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu awakened just as the Dark Robe Society crossed the threshold between the arctic and the warm tropical plain of the Crystal Empire. His cold amber eyes glared out at the remaining Dark Robe Society members, a vicious smile appearing on the end of his beak. Without a word, he rose onto his talons and stretched his wings to take the stiffness from them. In all honesty, he didn't care one bit about any of them, but as long as he could make someone pay, he would work along side of them.

"Well it's about time," Marco grinned. "We had to carry you the entire way. Pretty lazy if you ask me."

Blu's smile widened further. Without warning he charged forward and grabbed Roger's throat. The scarlet macaw let out a horrified squawk as he felt himself being lifted off the ground.

"If I remember correctly, you murdered my little girl." He said in a flat emotionless tone. "After I agreed to join up with you, you went and stabbed me in the back, do you think that would be a wise idea? That I wouldn't remember what you did? Huh? DO YOU?!"

The scarlet macaw shook his head and squawked again, he couldn't speak as Blu's wings tightened further.  
"What's the matter?" Blu asked. "Does a spix's macaw have you by the throat? Not so bad for a dying breed is it?"

The scarlet macaw nodded.

"Now, how are we going to compensate for what you've done, huh? A punishment must be paid. Should I destroy you and watch as you crumble to dust like your friends? Or should I…" Blu paused and nodded to himself as he thought up another solution. "…make your life a living hell for the remainder of your days. Yes, that does seem to be a fair solution doesn't it. Those gems make you immortal until they are removed, therefore I can do as much as I want to you and it'll still be rated PG. Oh how I love it."

Marco watched with a slight amusement, but he shook his head and stepped between the two potential combatants.

"Blu, release him." Marco demanded. "There are plenty more victims for you without wasting your time on this one. I have got myself a little plan, and you'll absolutely love it."

"Yeah?" Blu arched a curious eyebrow. "Just what is this plan of yours?"

"Oh, It's just a little thing I would like to call world domination." Marco chuckled. "But first you have to take out your darling little wife. She is the only threat that stands in your way."

Blu thought about it for a moment. He didn't care much about facing off against Jewel, but he nodded his head in agreement. He remembered the very last time he fought against Jewel. How her kiss broke the spell and forced him back in the subconscious of Blu's mind. The anger, and hatred had lost the last time it took control all because of true love's kiss. He wouldn't let that mistake happen again.

"Very well," he admitted. "But I don't do it because of you, I do it because of my weaker side. I will not let him take control again while I'm stuck in the folds of his oversized brain."

Marco nodded.

"Stick with me, and I'll make sure that you and not your weaker half remains in total control, forever."

Blu let his wicked smile grow even wider at the thought.

"Marco, you've got yourself a deal."

A cold breeze brushed past Blu, his nose and beak twitched as he caught a familiar scent. It seemed to be growing closer with each second.

"I'll meet up with you guys," he admitted. "I can sense her, and I think it is time she gets to know the real Blu."

"Before you go," Marco announced. "I think you'll want these back."

Blu turned his attention back to the hawk who handed him over a pair of bladed gauntlets. He formed a wicked smile.

"Good," he cackled. "I was beginning to feel naked without them."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jewel landed as she caught sight of Blu standing on a small crystal pillar just on the inside of the barrier leading to the Crystal Empire. He formed a wicked smile and spread his wings as far as they would go and welcomed her.

"Welcome, Jewel, I am so happy to see you." He grinned. "I was hoping you would come and try and rescue me."

Jewel's eyes hardened, her voice rang out with little humour in the situation. She could see the change in Blu, his cold unfeeling eyes, the change to his cerulean feathers, even the weapons he carried on his feather column, they all were meant to intimidate and make him look pure evil.

"I am not here to save you," Jewel admitted. "I'm here to save Blu, the real Blu, the one who wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Wouldn't hurt a fly, eh?" Blu chuckled. "Might I remind you that is all we've been doing for a long time now? Every single member of the Dark Robe Society, the dimensional barrier crumbling as we remain here with every passing second… do you honestly call that not hurting a fly? We're destroying both worlds just by our mere presence here, and you're every bit as guilty as I am."

"I don't believe you," Jewel answered. "You're everything Blu isn't. He has always been honest. You on the other hand have always been a liar."

Blu placed a wing over his heart and frowned. He'd never expected such a rash remark to come from a creature he knew so well. Jewel didn't seem to be pulling any punches this time around. She wanted one thing, and she do anything to get it. Blu let his smile fade into a rather intimidating frown.

"You want Blu? Is that it?" He asked. "You've come for no other reason?"

"You are my reason!" Jewel declared. "I won't let you do what you did last time. I won't let you hurt people. Blu, the real Blu, must be free."

"Very well," Blu admitted with a shrug. "Let's get this over with. This is Blu versus Jewel, the rematch."

"Fine," Jewel said, "If that is the way it has to be, than so be it, only one of us will leave here."

Jewel charged forward, her talons clicked upon the ground. Within seconds she and Dark Blu collided, their wings met as they entered their power struggle. Both birds pushed each other, trying to knock the other backwards, their eyes focused into the others, neither one moving, or showing any sign of weakness.

Dark Blu jumped backwards, spreading his wings to catch the breeze and fly back for a few moments. He grinned as he made contact with the ground.

"Impressive," he mused. "You didn't even put up half this good a fight last time. Tell me, what are you fighting for? Is it love? Is it your fear of being alone? Or are you out for revenge against Marco and his band?"

Jewel panted as she fought to catch her breath. Her sapphire eyes never moved off of Blu, and vice versa. He didn't seem to be weakening any, nor did he appear to be holding back. Her eyes widened as she remembered their previous encounter. There'd been times when Blu intervened saving her life… why wasn't that happening this time? Her mind didn't want to think of the answer, but she couldn't get it to disappear from her mind. In their previous encounter with Dark Blu, his feathers hadn't changed, but they now held a bit of a greenish tinge to them.

"Could he be too far gone to save?" She asked herself.

"YES!" Dark Blu grinned. "Even as we stand here now, I feel nothing. Blu hasn't appeared, he hasn't even fought to save you. I wanted to face off with you as quickly as possible to make sure that my suspicions were correct."

"What suspicions?" Jewel asked, her voice growing a little more shaky.

"You see, my dear. Half of me always walked around in a daze all the time. I never was sure when I would lose myself to the darkness. When I transformed the first time, I became pure evil, and eventually grew fearful that the light would take over and force the darkness back. But this time, there isn't any of that. I feel fine, and the daze and fear aren't around… I can truly say that for the first time, I am the real Blu. There is no good, there is no bad, there is only me."

Jewel raised her wings once again.

"No, that can't be true." She frowned. "And I will prove that you are lying."

* * *

_**Author's notes:**_

Is Blu lying? Is this who he really is? Could it be that this isn't Dark Blu and is just some inner anger towards the loss of his daughter? Will Jewel be able to save him?  
Find out in the next chapter, and thanks for reading and reviewing.


	36. Chapter 35: Rematch part 1

_**Chapter 35**_

_**Rematch Part 1**_

Twilight slammed her plot down upon the ground and let out a rather frustrated sigh. Her hoof drew to her forehead as a sudden sharp headache shot through her brain. It seemed that no matter what they attempted, they couldn't find anything resembling any sort of exit to the top of the cliffs. Her teeth sank into her lower lip, drawing blood as she fought the urge to scream.

"This is hopeless!" She frowned. "There are no answers, which should be impossible, or illegal, or something… think Twilight think… how did the ponies get around a thousand years ago? UGH has no pony ever heard of something as simple as a door! Like seriously would a door be too much to ask?!"

Pinkie Pie bounced past in her usual random fashion and collided with a nearby wall. She groaned, stumbling back a few paces before she fell backwards twitching her hoof and tail. She formed a slight smile as she felt her back give a sudden lurch backwards and the sound of rock sliding against rock echoed all throughout the large cavern.

The ponies and birds all stopped dead in their tracks and peered back towards Twilight and Pinkie Pie who remained just as confused as the rest of them. Their eyes all widened as they saw the commotion coming from a nearby wall just behind the two ponies. The rocky outcrops popped inwards releasing a small mechanical mechanism which allowed the door to swing open. Step by step, a staircase emerged which headed upwards to the outside world. As fast as the stairway appeared, natural sunlight flooded the chamber which got Twilight jumping for joy.

"Pinkie Pie, you are amazing." She complimented the hyperactive pink pony who still looked a bit shocked by the outcome of her actions.

"No, I'm not, a genius would have ordered two daffodil and dandelion sandwiches, and I only ordered one." Pinkie Pie admitted in her typical random fashion. "But thanks Twilight, boy, do you owe me one. I mean its not like we could have known that switch was there, not even my pinkie sense could have predicted that."

Twilight nodded her head and focused her attention back towards the secret opening. She swallowed a large lump in her throat.

"Well, we should probably get moving, time is running out and Jewel could very well be in some serious danger."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash grinned. "Danger is my middle name."

"No it isn't," Pinkie Pie interrupted. "It's Rainbow Dash, see there is nothing in between."

"It was a figure of speech," Rainbow frowned.

"Oooooooh, okay." Pinkie Pie mused. "Well I suppose we should go."

"Let's go," Rose frowned. The young macaw eyed the steps leading upwards to their next destination. "Let's go and save my dad."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jewel raised her wings and stood ready to defend herself from the monstrous entity that took on the mirror like image of her husband. Her eyes hardened as she glared at him. She didn't buy his remarks of feeling like his one true self, considering after all this time, she knew him pretty well. The bird she loved… the real Blu… in her mind had always been a creature of great honour, and had done so many selfless acts during their time together. All of the memories flashed through her mind as she shed several tears. She remembered falling to her certain doom and Blu jump after her, even though he didn't know how to fly and risked his own life so he could be with her.

"Blu, you're crazy, what are you doing!" She scolded him.

"I am not going to let you go!" Blu snapped back. "We're chained to each other birds remember."

In that moment, she realized for the first time that Blu loved her, and he didn't care about her just because of her looks, or because he wanted to mate with her. The love he held for her held true value. She leaned in and kissed him, and waited for the end in the icy waters below.

She recalled another time, when Blu attempted to save her from Amber. Her sister believed her to be responsible for the deaths of their family, and stood ready to defeat her, Jewel felt the eggs she carried in her stomach and felt fear. Her memories of her nightmare flashed through her mind, the evil spix's macaw smashing the eggs and gloating about how she failed to protect them. Those nightmares wouldn't become real, she wouldn't let them.

"NO!" Blu stepped in between the two combatants. "You won't hurt her." He said. "I won't let you."

Jewel snapped back into reality and glared at the monstrous figure of her husband. That same bird who risked his life that day in order to be with her now stood ready to destroy her. The same caring bird who she agreed to take as a husband because of their undying love for one another, now stood hating her more than any other creature on the planet. His greenish blue feathers bristled as he raised his wings, and prepared himself to continue the battle.

"What's the matter?" He asked. "Chanting a little prayer before you die? I wouldn't blame you, it can't be easy knowing you've failed to save your children from the Dark Robe Society. But don't worry they'll be heading your way soon enough. You can meet them at the Pearly Gates, if that is what you want to do."

"I don't buy your story," Jewel panted. "I know the real Blu, I saw him the day he jumped from the airplane and was willing to die so he could be with me. I saw him again when he protected me from my sister. He even went looking for Rose when she went missing in Rio so long ago. You can't tell me that so much emotion, so much love, and your over protective nature was a lie. You can't tell me that a creature who is walking around in a daze, unsure of who he is would do such things. NO! YOU'RE LYING! You aren't Blu, you're just a monster."

Jewel lunged forward striking her wing straight into Blu's chest. The male macaw let out a pained filled grunt as he took the full force of the impact and stumbled backwards a few paces. The smell of blood filled the air as the macaw spit out a couple drops of the thick red liquid. His eyes burned bright as he became even angrier at the successful attack.

"You call that an attack?" he asked placing a wing upon his beak. "Your moves, they're too showy. Why don't you come a little closer? So I can show you what real close quarters combat is all about."

Jewel shook her head and forced a smile. Despite the circumstances she didn't want to reveal her pain at having to injure the bird she loved.

"Sorry," she shrugged. "But blood doesn't seem to wash out. Besides, I'm sure a big strong male like yourself could handle little ole me."

"Funny," Blu admitted. "But foolish. NOW DIE!"

Blu lurched forward as hard as he could and struck his bladed gauntlet into the ground where Jewel stood. His blades hit the ground with thunderous force causing sparks to fly into the air. His eyes hardened as he realized he missed, the female macaw had parried around his blades, and landed a talon straight into his mid section. He gasped, his beak dropped as the pain flowed through his stomach. Jewel's talons felt like they pierced through his chest, causing him to draw a wing right to the impact spot. His body trembled, as the severity of the damage began to take effect.

"You forget, Blu, I needed to take care of myself long before you ever came to Rio." Jewel admitted. "You don't survive fifteen years on your own without learning a few tricks on defending yourself."

Blu let loose a wicked smile and grabbed hold of Jewel's talon which still rested in his gut. Without a word, he threw Jewel from him and watched her strike a nearby crystal pillar. The female macaw squawked as her back arched upon impact, and she slid down injured.

"And you don't join the Dark Robe Society without a good reason." Blu cackled. "There is a reason Marco wanted me to face off against you. Unlike the rest of his group, I know all of your dirty little tricks. You can't drop any surprises on me, because I know them all. Let's face it, you're just second best, you lose, Jewel."

Jewel closed her eyes tight and tried to block out the macaw's scathing insults. She wouldn't let them affect her… she couldn't let them affect her. Not if she wanted to get Blu back to normal. Not if she wanted everything to be returned back to the way they were, before all of this happened.

"Jewel…"

Jewel opened her eyes and peered at Blu, his beak moved as if he tried to talk but couldn't. The voice which called to her did in fact come from him.

"Jewel!" Blu gasped, his voice softened into his normal speaking voice. "Jewel!"

The female macaw couldn't believe her ears, she stared at Blu at a loss for words, she recognised the voice, it almost seemed to good to be true.

"B-B-Blu, is that you?"


	37. Chapter 36: Rematch part 2

_**Chapter 36:**_

_**Rematch Part 2:**_

Twilight peered out at her surroundings and listened to the roar of the waterfall rumbling just off in the distance. The spray filled the air as mist dampening the group who stood admiring the beauty of the world around them. A faint rainbow filtered through the sky, as the sun toasted and shined through the mist. But Twilight held far more important matters on her mind. Her eyes glistened as she could feel the magical energy envelop her. It filled her veins, causing her blood to boil and her heart to skip a beat. She blinked and focused past the world, tearing it down skin by skin, almost as if she peeled an onion layer by layer. She could see everything happening around her, the dimensional void growing weaker second by second, collapsing and threatening to end all life in Equestria.

"We've got to hurry." She admitted. "We don't have much longer. I have a theory on how we can end this, but first we have to reach Blu and Jewel and stop the Dark Robe Society, Discord, and Chrysalis."

"That's easier said than done," Rainbow Dash frowned. "Do you have any idea how long it took us to defeat Discord last time? We don't even have the elements of harmony anymore. They've been taken away."

"Are you sure, Twilight," Fluttershy whimpered. "I don't want to go into battle if there are more peaceful ways of dealing with things."

"The thought of battle is so dreadful," Rarity pouted. "It'll mess up my luxurious and perfect mane."

"Where are we anyways?" Rainbow Dash snorted for the second time. "Perhaps we could come up with some sort of plan."

Twilight focused her magic and pulled out the map so she could study it for a few moments. She nodded her head and began to pace back and forth. She ignored the commotion of her friends' complaints and focused her attention on the task at hand. Every second counted, and she wouldn't waste a single one.

"The underground passage looped us around a little further north than what I expected. We are actually standing near the top of Neighagra Falls. If we head north, it should only take a few hours to reach the Crystal Empire."

"So we're going to make it to our destination today?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Well finally that is some good news."

"Yeah," Twilight nodded. "We've cut a day of travel off our route. Let's get moving, with any luck we'll make it before sundown."

* * *

# # #

* * *

"Jewel…" Blu raised his wings and formed a rather wicked smile. His cold amber eyes never moved off of her. He could read her pain like an open book… the conflict which burned through her mind. At one end, she hoped she could save him, despite his claims of there being no good or evil within him, but on the other hand, she wanted to see the evil in him pay the price for everything he did to tear them apart. Blu's voice flowed forth in an almost calm tone, addressing the female who listened to every word he said. "Jewel, listen to me, I'm fine. I'm exactly where I need to be."

"But," Jewel protested, her voice full of concern. "Your place is by my side, raising our children, living peacefully."

Blu shook his head and continued.

"Jewel, would I ever lie to you?" Blu asked. "Would I ever do anything too make you suffer and hurt you?"

Jewel closed her eyes tight and turned away from the macaw. Her heart felt like it could shatter into a million pieces at any moment. It throbbed, skipping beats, as she fought between all the different emotions that came with her conflict. Fear, anger, sadness, grief, they all forced her to doubt her own abilities at rescuing him from the darkness.

"Look, Jewel, do whatever you want, but wouldn't it make sense to do as destiny predicted and live with the outcome of events no longer in our control? Wouldn't it be less stressful to just stop this foolish charade and live with the way I am now? It is who I am, it is exactly who I am meant to be."

Jewel lunged forward striking Blu in the chest with her talon, she watched Blu fall to the ground, winded, but uninjured. His cold amber eyes narrowed as he tried to calculate what just happened.

"NO!" Jewel told him, panting heavily. "I am not buying it. That isn't Blu's voice. Blu loved who he was, sure he was socially awkward, and he didn't always do things the right way, but he wouldn't ever want to become something he wasn't, especially IF THAT SOMEONE WAS YOU!"

Jewel launched herself forward again and proceeded to beat him with her wings. Her eyes hardened as she lashed out strike after strike, ignoring the painful gasp that Blu grunted out as he took the full force of the impact. His head bobbed backwards as he felt himself sliding backwards, unable to defend himself from the furious assaults of the feisty female.

"DIE!" Jewel screamed at the top of her lungs. "AND GIVE ME BACK MY HUSBAND!"

Jewel continued to launch her assault, striking out at Blu with her talons. She plucked a few feathers drawing blood from several neck wounds. The veins in her head swelled as she began to see crimson. With one final kick, she knocked Blu into a pillar where he couldn't move.

"How dare you!" Blu growled. "You really think you're any match for me? I am a member of the Dark Robe Society, it's funny… I can feel myself growing more powerful even with all of the damage you've inflicted. Blu is too scared to come out because of the damages you've inflicted upon me. It's almost overpowering, the sense I have to hurt you, the sense I have to see you suffer, it's everything I've always wanted."

Jewel stopped, panting heavily. She could see the cerulean in his feathers draining as the evil in him began to grow. Blu almost appeared to be a pure emerald green. His cold amber eyes glowed bright with vengeful fury. He raised himself up onto his talons and cackled.

"Game over, my dear." He grinned. "The Blu you knew is gone. The one who stands before you is Blu, member of the Dark Robe Society."

He charged forward striking Jewel a hefty blow to the gut. The female grunted and fell backwards, stunned. He readied himself for the final kill. His wings gripped tight around the bladed gauntlets on his feather column. His smile deepened as he prepared to finish this fight for good. All it would take is one strike and the girl would be gone forever, all it would take is one second.

"Goodbye,"

"Go ahead," Jewel said, keeping her eyes closed, she didn't bother to move her wings to block the attack. She waited for the end to come. "It doesn't matter anymore, I've failed."

Jewel shed a couple of painful tears which flowed down the crevices of her face despite her eyes being closed tight. Her beak trembled at her own failure to save the creatures she loved more than her own life. Jade, Blu, Buster, Kinski, Rose, and Rico, she in the end had failed them all.

"Do it" she yelled. "Finish me!"

"With pleasure," Blu chuckled, he threw his wing downward and prepared to strike but found his wing wouldn't move any further. The muscles in his wing trembled as he fought to move it forward. His eyes widened as he noticed the cerulean in the limb returning. "WHAT NO! What is going on, why have I lost control of my body? Could it be? Blu?"

The male macaw spun around and tried to remove any trace of the intruding spix's macaw. The veins in his head bulged and swelled as his blood began to boil. He couldn't move his wing. The intruding side, his weaker side, began to emerge for those few short minutes. He glared at Jewel through his peripheral vision, the tears she shed. His eyes widened as it hit him, the realisation of why Blu emerged now despite the injuries. Despite everything he said.

"It's her tears! They're doing this. Blu is reacting to her crying!" he screamed. "STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW! JEWEL!"

The female macaw opened her eyes and peered up at the macaw who fought to gain control of his own body. She forced a confident smile and slipped up behind him. She rubbed his chest and turned him towards her.

"You're done!" she mused, leaning inwards and planting a warm passionate kiss on the end of his beak.

Everything in that one moment seemed to stand still, frozen in time, the female macaw wrapped her wings around Blu's body keeping the macaw from escaping her grip. She waited for him to drop down, similar to the first time, she'd broken the spell and freed him of his evil side. She waited, but it never happened. Blu's wing embraced her, and became lost in that moment. He couldn't pull away.

Jewel opened her eyes and saw the green tinge vanish, his darker side flowed overhead of him in a dark shadow. It began to spread throughout the area, cackling as it became free and separate from its host. Both birds separated and eyed the darkness as it began to take shape. Wings started to spread, its talons took form, the pure green feathers began to emerge from its body. Both birds stared in terror as they realized that they were going to be looking right at the true form of the evil which only recently had been inside Blu.


	38. Chapter 37: Darkness Confronted

_**Chapter 37:**_

_**Darkness Confronted**_

Blu blinked a couple of times as he became aware of his surroundings once again. His head pounded, the bitter taste of blood flooded through his beak. His cold amber eyes peeled back reverting back to their natural brown state. At first he shook as if convulsing but after a couple of moments he stood tall, though still a bit weak from his battle with Jewel. The damages the female had inflicted upon him felt uncomfortable and burned with every attempt to move, but he found himself able to walk.

His eyes focused upon the large empty blackness stretching before him. The suffocating blackness that existed deep within his heart, it popped and crackled, shifting as it took on its own form. It no longer needed him to survive. Formed from his own fear and anger, it now stood strong enough, ready to destroy him and rot him from the outside in. He backed away, realizing that this anger and hatred held no one else to blame, it existed because he couldn't control his own emotions.

"BLU!" its voice echoed out, transforming itself into a mirror like image of the male macaw. It spread its wings, its cold amber eyes glared out at him unmoving, unblinking, and unwavering from its intended target. It needed nothing else, nor did it hold any other grudge against anyone else. It wanted him, and it stood ready to take its prize. "BLU!"

The macaw backed away, fearful of the great darkness which blanketed his heart. The evil macaw formed a wicked smile and pointed a blackish green wing in his direction. Its beak curled into a vicious smile which reflected its soulless and empty shell of a body. With no emotions, or guilt to hold it back, it descended upon the macaw, ready to destroy him.

"Death…" it croaked out, in a flat emotionless tone. It cocked its head and would have spit should it have had saliva glands to create spit. Instead it unleashed a blackish mud which bubbled on the ground. The dark macaw laughed and turned its attention back to Blu. Its eyes narrowed as it readied itself to strike.

"What is it doing?" Jewel asked.

"It's ready to devour me," Blu sighed. "It's the blackness of my heart. It's my anger and frustration towards the world, it's my fear of Dark Blu that has existed ever since I first fell under Marco's spell, and believe it or not it is even my fear of losing you and the kids. All of my negativity is in that one entity and I've allowed it to build up for so long that it is ready to take control of my life."

The dark macaw cackled again, descending upon Blu. It could feel the macaw's guilt. It could feel the sadness brewing as he readied to accept his fate. The macaw drew on this negativity, it fed on it, growing stronger with each second.

"Yes, keep thinking that way, Blu," it hissed. "Keep doubting yourself, keep feeding me hatred, despair, anger, I've waited so long for this…"

Jewel turned around to Blu and noticed that he kept his head hung low. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the truth. The two were systematically linked. The reason it existed was because he still doubted himself. She charged forward, but found herself falling through the figure. It didn't have an actual form to hit. It existed, only because of Blu's inner turmoil.

"Blu, listen to me, you have to let it all go." She yelled at him. "It's okay to be angry, its okay to be sad, its okay to be frustrated, let it all go right now!"

Blu turned his back on both Jewel and the monstrous macaw working its way towards him. He could feel his heart skip a few beats as he tried to clear his mind and swallow his emotions back into the safety of his mind. He wanted to bottle up his emotions so no one could read them, he didn't want to have to be afraid of losing himself or be afraid of the evil things he did.

The blackness of his emotions flowed forth from his body, clear as they eye could see. It fluttered upon the breeze, and entered into the body of his doppelganger. The Dark Entity cackled and felt his power grow.

"Yeeeeeeees," Dark Blu groaned. "I can feel the power surging through my body."

"Blu, let it out!" Jewel called to him. "It's okay,"

Blu lowered his head to the point that his beak made contact with his chest. He listened to Jewel's words and fell to his knees.

"Is it okay too cry?" he asked, his voice emotionless and flat.

Jewel fluttered to his side and wrapped her wings around him. She tucked her head in between her neck.

"Of course it is," she muttered. "You may cry whenever you want."

"What about the things I've done? What about the people I've hurt?" he asked. "What about the horrible things I did when I was Dark Blu?"

Jewel wrapped her wings around him tighter and kissed his cheek. Her voice sank to a soft whisper in his ears.

"Blu, everyone does good things and horrible things, and no matter how much we want to we can not change the past. It is okay to forgive and forget, and you can chop this up to a learning experience, it is Marco who is to blame, and his evil will once again come to an end. You saved the entire world once, and I know and trust you. I believe you will do it again."

"Is that alright?" Blu sobbed, "Is it alright to forgive and forget?"

"Yes," Jewel soothed. "It is alright."

Jewel's ears twitched as Dark Blu let out a horrible screech. She turned to see his wings fall to the ground and begin to disintegrate into dust. She shifted her attention back to Blu and kissed his forehead.

"So what do you say Blu? Can you forgive and forget?"

Blu wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded.

"Yes,"

The doppelganger let out another horrible screech as he broke apart for the second time. His lower half disintegrated into dust, crumbling as Blu's guilt began to subside. It couldn't feed off of him any longer, Jewel wouldn't allow it too.

"Noooo!" It hissed. "I won't let you send me away! Blu is evil, he is guilty of everything. He must pay the price, and he will…"

"NO!" Jewel demanded pulling Blu up onto his talons, she glared at the evil macaw, now nothing more than a head and chest with a cloud of black smoke leaking in the places he once had limbs. Her eyes hardened. "You will not hurt Blu ever again. I won't allow it, do you know why? Because he may have done horrible things, but he isn't evil, he is one of the most selfless birds I know. And how could he not be? He jumped from a plane to be with me so long ago, and he has loved me ever since."

"Yeah?" Blu arched a curious eyebrow, his eyes still filling to the brim with tears which threatened to overflow.

Dark Blu's body trembled as it finally gave way crumbling into a dark shadowy apparition. It grew threatening to cover the region with its darkness.

"I won't let you send me away!" it screeched. "I will always be covering Blu's heart. You can't stop me!"

Blu swallowed hard and stood tall.

"BEGONE!" he announced. "Jewel is right, I don't need to be afraid of you anymore. You and me are two sides of the same coin, but that doesn't mean you control me. I will control you instead. Your days of freedom and running rampant are over!"

The shadow couldn't move, Blu spread his wings and watched as the smoky embodiment of his darker half vanished amongst the sky. He smiled feeling alive for the first time in over a year, and let the sun toast his feathers.

"Oh Blu," Jewel hugged him. "You did it, I'm so proud of you."

Blu held a wing to his head as he felt himself come awake and alert for the first time in over a year. He no longer walked in a cloudy haze and felt like himself again. He could feel his heart beat similar to the way it had when he first met Jewel in the aviary so long ago. He smiled and turned to Jewel.

"W-W-Where am I?" Blu asked, "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" Jewel asked. "You don't remember anything?"

Blu shook his head.

"The last thing I remember we were in a cave, and Jade, she…" Blu couldn't finish the sentence, he peered off towards the crystal castle where he knew Marco and his Dark Robe Society waited for his arrival. "I have to finish this. Not out of revenge for our daughter, but because if he continues, more and more people will suffer. I am the only one who can stop him."

"And you will,"

Blu turned and smiled as he saw his friends all appear. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rico, and Rose, all stopped before him and smiled at their renewed and restored friend. None of them would have guessed that Jewel would have succeeded in her task, and many of them feared that they would have found the worst possible outcome.

"Welcome back, Blu." Twilight Sparkle smiled.

"We're so happy to have you back," Fluttershy squeed.

"It's time for a Pinkie Pie Party!" Pinkie Pie shouted raising her hoofs in celebration.

"No," Blu shook his head, he turned his attention back towards the castle. The wind bristled through his feathers as his eyes narrowed. Every creature present could see the change in him. He looked more mature, more inspiring, and most of all he looked more like a hero. No one dared to question what he said next, they all nodded and awaited his next command. "We need to finish this, today."

* * *

**_Author's Notes:_**

_So Blu, Jewel, and the ponies are now at the Crystal Empire, and ready to face off against the remaining Dark Robe Society Members. But will it be that easy? What horrors await them in the castle? Find out in the next chapter where we begin part 1 of the final battle against the Dark Robes _


	39. Chapter 38: Monkey Bussiness

_**Chapter 38:**_

_** Monkey Bussiness**_

The Dark Robed Figure watched a candle as it flickered and died leaving a puff of smoke to blend into the air. Without a word he lifted himself off his throne and walked over to the most recent candle lost amongst the remaining three burning ones. With a steady limb and a firm grip, he picked it up and forced a wicked laugh. His eyes never moved from the piece of wax which still felt warm to the touch.

"So Dark Blu has been defeated, eh?" He mused. "The love between the macaws is stronger than I thought. But no matter, soon it won't make a difference. One by one my pawns are being dealt with, and one by one everything is falling into place. I can already sense the destiny star burning overhead, by tonight everything will be ready to begin my final plan, and finally after a thousand years, I will reveal my true self to the world, unfortunately when that happens, the world will change forever and the spix's macaws will officially go extinct."

He laughed again, and turned his attention towards the three remaining candles. He eyed them with great interest and formed a smile. His plan would come into fruition soon enough, and nothing would stop it, for it was far too late for anyone to defeat him now, that much was a guarantee. He turned his body and lifted his upper limbs into the air to reveal a secret room just behind the throne. He chuckled to himself and proceeded into the chamber where a drawn out pentagram rested on the floor. As he stepped into the middle, he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.

"One thousand years the world will be at peace before the destiny star burns bright in the sky bringing forth a new rein. Evil reins supreme, rampaging unchecked, and they'll ultimately be stopped by the forces of good. One side is order, the other is chaos, two forces which must never meet. But if they do the world should beware, for it marks the final days, where judgment is at hand."

He nodded to himself thinking about everything he did. He who stood responsible for the creation of the Dark Robes had created the evil which rampaged unchecked, and one by one they fell as they met the forces of good. Chaos, and order, these two forces had met several times over the past few years, and he'd been the one responsible for it all. In turn, he'd been the one responsible for bringing in the destiny star. He stood as the world's saviour, and judgment would soon commence.

"Bring it on," he cackled.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu paced back and forth, eyeing the entire group of his reunited friends. The group of ponies all seated themselves and awaited their instructions on what they needed to do. The upcoming battle would need to be a coordinated attack with every party member playing their role to the tee. There couldn't be a single mistake or everyone would crumble in a chain reaction. Blu turned his attention towards the castle. His feathers bristled and blew in the breeze. His brown eyes hardened as he glared at where he knew Marco and his group waited.

"Okay, here is what I think we should do," he said after a couple of minutes. "It is obvious that fighting is unavoidable. Jewel, you will sneak down to the castle dungeon and once down there you will find Buster, Kinski and Marigold. When you free them I want you to leave and get as far away as possible. As for you Twilight, I want you, Rainbow Dash, and the rest of your friends to guard the entrances and exits. Nobody gets in."

"And what exactly will you be doing?" Jewel arched a curious eyebrow, her voice becoming a little uncertain and full of concern for her mate. "Don't tell me you are going to go and deal with Marco, Jose, and Roger by yourself?"  
"That is exactly what I am doing," Blu confirmed. "They want me, and that is what they're going to get. I'll stop them one way or another, and they won't know what hit them."

"You're crazy!" Jewel squawked. "Going up against all three Dark Robe Society members is suicide!"

"Yeah Blu," Twilight interrupted. "This doesn't sound like a good idea… it is far too risky."

"It doesn't matter," Blu admitted. "I have to do this, so you can't talk me out of it, we better just accept it and get on with it. Like it or not, this really is the best way of doing things… besides I've stopped them once, and I'll just have to send them packing to their graves, like the good little corpses they are."

As the group continued on their way, no one noticed the scarlet macaw slip out of the shadows. His eyes narrowed as his smile grew wider. He had overheard everything, and he knew what to do. Blu would be on his own in the castle, and he would force Jose to fight him. A thought which made him cackle.

"There is no loss for me in this scenario," he smiled. "If Blu manages to defeat Jose, I'll take his gem and use it on myself. If the situation is reversed than we have one less spix's macaw to worry about. Oh this is absolutely perfect."

"What is?"

Roger jumped as he heard a voice echo out in his ear. The scarlet macaw spun around and noticed his monkey comrade staring at him eye to eye. Jose waved a wing across his beak and frowned.

"You know, you really need a breath mint." Roger groaned. "Your breath smells like you've been eating garbage."

Jose nodded his head and backed himself up a tad bit, he stood tall and stared at his friend a bit awkwardly.

"Yeah so? I'm a monkey deal with it." He snorted. "Now, what exactly has you so excited. Might I remind you that there is only three of us left?"

Roger rolled his eyes and stamped his talon against the ground.

"What if I told you that you could face off against Blu, right this second, and prove to Marco that you are the ultimate member of the Dark Robe Society? Would you jump at that chance?"

Jose nodded his head.

"Yeah but a situation like that would never happen." Jose frowned.

"Oh I don't know," Roger grinned. "I just learned that Blu is going to the castle, and he'll be all alone. I think you should be the one to go and finish him off."

"Really?" Jose arched a curious eyebrow. "You know you are always looking out for me. You really are one of my closest friends."

Roger nodded and patted the monkey on the head.

"Now go, and remember, when you find Blu, you need to defeat him."

"Yeah," Jose cackled, "Thanks Roger, you are the greatest."

Roger watched the monkey run off as fast as his legs would carry him. His eyes narrowed as he chuckled to himself.

"Goodbye, Jose," he sneered. "I'll be looking forward to taking that gem of yours."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu ran as fast as his talons would go, unaware of the danger following so close to him. As he ran around a corner he stopped just as a spike struck the crystal wall. He spun around and glared at the darkness, his eyes widening as he noticed Jose stepping into plain view. The monkey held a long sharp stick, his paws clenched tight as he readied to charge at his opponent.

"Hello, Blu," he chuckled. "Long time no see."

"Jose," Blu rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, you're the first one sent to try and stop me from reaching Marco."

The monkey nodded his head and picked up a piece of crystal with his foot. It splintered into a dangerous looking piece of shrapnel, and the monkey prepared himself to launch it.

"Oh, I wouldn't concern myself about Marco," the monkey mused. "You'll never make it past me. I've waited a long time for this, since, oh I don't know, I first met you in the subway tunnels glued to the wall with some of the florescent moss. My how the tides have turned, you may be free but you'll still a little pathetic victim waiting for the slaughter."

"But we were friends at one point, you even attempted to save Rose," Blu muttered. "Why have you turned your back on us?"

The monkey spit with disgust and let his smile vanish. His eyes filled with painful tears as he recalled his defeat at Marco's talons.

"I never really was a member of your little group. I never felt appreciated or loved. I was only ever good if I saved one of you, then afterwards you forgot about me. Do you know how bad that feels? But it doesn't really matter, this is where it all ends, I'll prove to Marco that I deserve my space on the Dark Robes Society roster. I'll prove that I am just as dangerous as I always was, but first I must take you down."

The monkey waited no longer, he launched the sharp crystal projectile straight at Blu. The macaw couldn't run. He winced as he felt the sharp spear pierce his feather column. His eye twitched as he tried to forget about the pain and focus on the task at hand. If he held any hope of making it to Marco, he needed to take out his one time friend. Blu readied himself for combat and raised his wings ready to defend himself from the vicious little prime ape

"As much as I don't want to fight you, Jose, I will if I have to, so you'd better make sure you really want to do this."

"Bring it on, macaw." Jose squeed. "You aren't so tough."

Blu burst into a full paced sprint and ducked around the corner. He winked a few times and frowned.

"I was only bluffing," Blu admitted to himself. "The damage his crystal inflicted was far more dangerous than I gave him credit for. I'm actually losing my vision from the pain. I have to end this quickly and play it smart, or I don't stand a chance."

Blu peered around the room and noticed a large crystal chandelier hanging from the roof, he smiled and nodded.

"I have an idea."

Blu stepped out from around the corner and stopped in front of the monkey who waited for him. His paws tightened around his stick, ready to strike the macaw down at a moment's notice.

"Well, it's been fun, Blu." Jose smiled. "I'll make this as painless as I can, just because we're old friends."

The monkey threw several sharp spikes straight into Blu's wings. The macaw cringed as he felt the sharp impacts of the crystals as they impaled his wings. He closed his eyes and waited for the right time.

"Gotcha," the monkey chuckled. "Bye bye Blu, I must say out of everyone I have destroyed in my entire life, I must say that I do like you the best. If this would have played out differently, I would have loved to have been your friend. All I have to do is strike you with this stick, and everything will come to an end for you."

Blu's eyes shot open, he threw his wings out and grabbed hold of the monkey's stick. He tossed it straight up striking the chandelier with full force. He listened to the sound of the chain snapping, and dove out of the way. Within seconds, it came crashing down landing right on the monkey, separating his upper torso from the rest of his body. Jose coughed and peered at Blu, forming a pleasant smile.

"Well, it looks lie –cough- you won," Jose complimented him. "I never knew you were that smart, Blu. Since we're friends –cough- I want you to do one thing for me."

"What's that?" Blu asked.  
"Finish me off," Jose groaned trying to sit up. "Please, I don't belong in this world, I was reborn through the power of the gem I never should have had. Finish me off I beg you."

Blu shook his head and closed his eyes.

"No," he refused. "I am not a killer. I am better than that."

"Are you sure?" Jose asked. "If you don't pull the gem out of my neck, I will just come after you again. Becoming a Dark Robe Society member again is everything to my cursed life. I am offering you a chance to end all of this."

"Fine," Blu sighed. "When you come after me again, we'll finish this."

Blu spread his wings and studied the damage, his injuries didn't seem to be that bad. He smiled and took off as fast as his talons would carry him.

"Oh Blu," Jose groaned. "Good luck my friend."

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, and Jose peered up to see Roger standing over him. The scarlet macaw didn't looked amused and shook his head.

"Forgive me, Jose." He said in a flat emotionless tone. Without another word the macaw bent down and picked the gem from the monkey's neck.

"And so it ends," Jose smiled. His eyes clouded over into the icy pools of death, his skin pealed from his body, leaving behind nothing but bones.

Roger placed the gem in his neck and smiled in victory.

"Even though it is only one more, I still needed this," he said to himself. "Jose, you may have looked up to me, but in the end that doesn't matter. I need to look out for number one, and that is myself."


	40. Chapter 39: Five pillars of Light

_**Chapter 39:**_

_**Five Pillars of Light**_

Roger stepped out into the castle courtyard and let himself perform a little victory dance. Everything he sought to do happened with an absolute flawless success rate. He couldn't remove the smile from his beak as he thought about how he'd set Jose up, and he ultimately ended his life, the same thing happened to Nigel. In a brilliant stroke of intelligence, he'd destroyed two of his closest allies just to further his own power, and with an even better stroke of fate, it worked.

He could feel the power pulsating through his body brought on by not one, not two, but by three gems. His wings pulsated as the newest gem in his collection surged a huge amount of power throughout his veins. He enjoyed the feeling. It made him feel alive… NO, it made him feel more than just alive, it made him feel like a god. He let the warm sun toast his feathers, as he prepared himself to leave on a more permanent basis. He took one last glance at the castle and frowned.

"I really do hate to say goodbye to this place," he sighed. "After all, this place has been good to me. However if Marco catches me, I'm better off dead. It is time to just cut my losses and get out of here while I still have the chance-"

Without any warning, he stopped in his tracks. His voice trailed off as he struggled to breathe. His eyes focused straight ahead on something he hadn't noticed before, a familiar figure standing in the courtyard, glaring at him with a strong hatred. He recognised him almost straight away and he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. Standing before him was Marco. He swallowed hard and walked into the courtyard, making no sudden moves to show off his true intentions.

_It looks like battle will be unavoidable at this rate. Damn it, Marco… you have your own dark gem, plus the ones I took from Blu in the forest. Not only that I can sense something stronger than that, you have powered yourself up somehow. Luckily I have the gems from Jose and Nigel, if I can keep him from using his new powers, we'll be exactly even._

He stopped just in front of Marco, his eyes narrowed in pure hatred for the hawk. His beak curled into a vicious sneer.

_If I'm going to overpower him it must be now!_

Before he could make any move, Marco stuck his heavy talon right into the macaw's neck and pulled two of the three gems into plain view, he formed a smile and cackled to himself.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." He muttered. "Somebody has been collecting gems. Now tell me Roger, how did you get these? And how come you aren't crumbling to dust eh? Oh, that's right, I only have two of these, so that would make one more to get, right?"

Roger held a wing to his neck and stamped a talon on the ground.

"What do you plan to do, kill me?" He asked.

"Well, what should I do?" Marco asked with a shrug. "After all, you were the one who killed Nigel and Jose for their dark gems. I must admit for someone who thought that they were so smart, you waited far too long. You waited until every single one of our comrades were dead, making you the obvious guilty party. How stupid can you possibly get? The right thing to do would have been too struck right away."

In that moment, Roger instantly snapped. The veins in his head bulged as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"AND JUST WHAT EXACTLY MAKES YOU BETTER THAN ME?" he asked. "MIGHT I REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE THE GEMS IN YOUR NECK TOO, AND YOU USED US TO GET THEM FOR YOU! SURE YOU DIDN'T KILL ANYONE, BUT AT LEAST I WAS HONEST ENOUGH WITH THEM AND DIDN'T TARNISH THEIR MEMEORIES!"

Marco smiled and nodded his head.

"Do you know what, you're right." He sighed. "Here, take them back. That way we can be even once again."

"Yeah?" Roger smiled. He grabbed hold of the gems and placed them back into his neck. "Gee, thanks Marco. I owe you one."

"Now, I am going to demonstrate, just how different we truly are. You think power is what will beat me? Let's put your theory to the test."

Marco charged forward with all the speed he could muster and almost warped right behind the scarlet macaw. Roger's eyes widened as he realized he couldn't follow the hawk's movements with his own eyes. He turned around and stumbled backwards. His wings shook as fear embraced him.

"No!" Roger screamed. "I won't let you beat me!"

"What's the matter, Roger?" Marco asked. "It looks like you've given up? Don't tell me your balance isn't that good! Get on your talons."

Roger scrambled backwards a few steps but found himself blocked by Marco who almost seemed to teleport again. His eyes widened as he felt the hawk's wings on his neck, lifting him off the ground.

"I said, get up!" Marco demanded. "Get on your talons, so I can deal with you properly."

Roger freed himself from the hawk's grip and jumped backwards, he plucked a couple of feathers from his body and threw them at the hawk with extreme force. He watched as they struck their target and Marco let out a surprised gasp.

"Ha!" he smiled. "I got him!"

"Oh yeah?" Marco mused. "Well think again!"

With two speedy movements, Marco tossed the feathers from him and straight into Roger's neck. The macaw felt his strength diminish as two of the gem stones landed upon the ground.

"Marco… please… answer me two things… what is the secret that you've been hiding from us?" Roger gasped, realizing he could no longer fight.

"Secret?" Marco asked, raising a curious eyebrow. "There is no secret. I've been completely honest with you guys."

"Than what is the difference?" Roger gasped, "Tell me, how is what I've done any different than what you are doing now-?"

Before the scarlet macaw could finish, Marco pulled the final gem from his neck. The scarlet macaw could never have finished the thought as he crumbled to dust and bone right before the hawk's own eyes. Roger, the traitor amongst the Dark Robe Society, fell defeated in the battle he wanted more than anything else and joined the fate that he wanted to avoid.

"The difference is, I would never betray my friends." He admitted. "How sad, it looks like I am the only one left."

Marco picked up the gem stones off the ground and placed them in his bladed gauntlets. He turned his attention towards the castle and nodded his head.

"There is one last thing that I need to take care of," he noted. "This will be the final battle for the Dark Robe Society, after this, I'll begin a new life and honour my friends who fell during this encounter."

Before he could take a step, he felt the ground tremble at his talons. He turned his attention towards the world, staring at a complete loss. Large beams of light shot forth from the ground, rising into the sky as far as they eye could see. Five straight pillars of light, all in a straight line, in perfect synch with the castle, his jaw dropped as he stood in amazement.

"I-I-I don't understand what is going on?" he said in shock. "What is with the pillars of light?"

He shook his head and tried to forget about them. He frowned and shifted his attention back to the castle.

"Time to deal with Blu, that spix's macaw has been more trouble than he's worth. But no matter, it's time for the rematch of the century."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Night Mare Moon rushed around the large throne room and eyed the pillars of light with an all serious tone. Her jaw drop as she stared in shock at what she witnessed, the ground at the base of each pillar seemed to be cracking and breaking apart, almost as if the earth could give way and collapse at any moment.

"What has Marco done?" She found herself asking. "If he isn't careful he'll destroy us all…"

She turned her attention back to the throne room, her eyes narrowed as she thought about her mission.

"I need to hurry and find the Elements of Harmony. If anyone can stop this, it'll be Twilight and her friends.

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu stopped dead in his tracks and peered out the nearest window. He had felt the tremors of the ground even this far into the air. His eyes widened in horror as he took notice of the pillars of pure energy stretching into the sky.

"That can't be good," he frowned.

"I wouldn't worry about that," a voice cackled to him. Blu spun around and stared at the hawk working his way towards him.

"Marco!" Blu hissed. "I figured I would run into you sooner or later."

"You got that right," Marco grinned. "We've got a score to settle, and you'll never escape from me this time."

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_Sorry that this chapter is so short, it is just setting up for what is about to happen. What are with these pillars of light? Who will win Blu or Marco? Will Night Mare Moon find the elements of harmony? Find out in the up and coming chapters._


	41. Chapter 40: Flight of a predator part 1

_**Chapter 40**_

_**Flight of a Predator part 1 **_

Blu narrowed his eyes and glared at his enemy, the vicious and evil hawk named Marco who for as long as he could remember stood as the embodiment of every last thing that was pure evil. With the death of thousands of innocent creatures, and an army of spells at his disposal, he stood as the single most significant threat to any one who dared to live and breathe. Blu raised his wings ready to fight, knowing full well that any other outcome wouldn't be possible. He also knew he needed to win. He couldn't and wouldn't let Marco's rein of terror continue any further.

"Are you ready?" Blu asked.

Marco cackled and raised his wings to reveal his razor sharp and very lethal gauntlets. His eyes narrowed and slit into dangerous pools of murderous fury. His tail feathers swayed along the ground, picking up very little dust against the sapphire and turquoise floor. The two birds glared at each other, preparing themselves for the long awaited encounter that both sides wanted more than anything else. Marco tapped his gauntlet against the nearest wall creating a shower of sparks.

"I've waited for this day for a long time, Blu." The hawk announced. "I will make you pay for what you did to me. I think I'll begin by taking you apart slice by slice, keeping you alive for every single bit of it before I finish you off the same way you finished me off. You'll know the pain you caused me as your spine becomes separated from your torso."

Blu rolled his eyes and threw a wing forward, pointing at the hawk for a few seconds. His black beak curled into a frown as he thought about their previous encounter. He remembered the fireball being launched and being able to reflect it back. In that second he launched himself forward striking a gauntlet through the hawk's mid section. Even though the hawk survived for a few moments afterwards, Blu must confess he'd never really thought about the pain he'd inflicted for those few moments.

"Is that what this is all about?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you really just out for revenge?"

Marco shook his head, and let out an exasperated sigh. He closed his eyes and went into his story, he could remember the day of his revival almost as if it happened mere seconds ago. He spoke aloud as he recalled every last second of his meeting with the Dark Robed Figure.

_**(The Following is Marco's Story)**_

Marco could feel the pain Blu caused him as he became aware of the world around him. A swirling void of empty blackness greeted him followed by an almost bone chilling sensation of cold. He couldn't understand it. He remembered being separated into two separate halves, all because of a spix's macaw and his trick. Somehow Blu managed to steal his victory from him. He had come so close, but it hadn't been good enough, and he'd met his defeat and death. As he laid there in the darkness, he heard a voice call out to him. It sounded so dark, so hoarse, and yet it sounded so familiar.

"Awaken, Marco, awaken."

Marco could feel his eyes flutter and twitch, and without any acknowledgment on his part, he opened his eyes and peered out. A dark robed figure stood over him. He knelt down by his side, holding out a covered limb to help him up off the ground. Marco could recall seeing this same figure once before, during his childhood, right before he began his life as a cold hearted villain.

"Awaken, Marco, awaken."

Marco lifted himself up to a sitting position and peered around at the blackness of the world around him. There wasn't a single shred of light that could be seen anywhere, it almost stood as if he still existed within the realm of death.

"W-W-Where am I?" Marco asked. "What is going on? The last thing I remember was dying."

"You are quite correct," The robed figure admitted. "We are standing inside your grave right now, well not exactly your grave… I managed to create a border between this world and the next. The air you breathe is created by myself through the sheer power of thought. But enough about that, who would've guessed that the bird I met so long ago by the statue of the spix's macaw deity in your home village would become Marco, leader of the Dark Robed Society, one of the most feared mercenary groups in all of Rio de Janeiro."

Marco twisted his face into a rather confused stare. His eyes filled with conflicting emotions as he heard the word grave. If what the robed figure said remained true and he was in fact dead, than how could he be living and breathing right now as if nothing ever happened? He held a wing to his neck and could feel a force pulsating from his wind pipe. It seemed to fill him with a power very similar to when he fought against Blu using the powers of his fallen comrades.

"You've been revived," the robed figure announced. "Through the powers of a dark gem implanted in your neck, I can grant you eternal life, Marco… I want you to go forth and destroy my enemies, the spix's macaws, the ones who robbed you of your life. They're in a magical land called Equestria, you must go there. If you and your companions serve me, than the life I've granted you will be everlasting."

Marco formed a wicked smile and nodded his head. He itched to be back in the game, and to make people suffer once more. He wanted to experience the thrill of the kill and to relive the glory days of the Dark Robed Society. The robed figure dropped a collection of five gems and stood to his full height.

"Go forth with your companions, go forth to Equestria, and make sure you destroy my enemies."

_**(End of Marco's story)**_

Marco placed a wing upon his neck and glared at Blu. His dark eyes filled with delight as he felt the same feeling of power as that day in his grave. It pulsated and filled him with life, and absolute perfect health. He continued onward, speaking to the spix's macaw who listened to every word.

"That was the second of three times I met that mysterious dark robed figure. I have no idea who he is, or what he wants, but he can't be all bad, not if he granted me a second chance to take you out."

"How do you know he will keep his word?" Blu asked. "Haven't you ever considered that he might be lying to you? That he is just using you to get what he wants? You obviously aren't that bright, if you would trust a complete stranger."

Marco shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head as if not caring about what Blu said. He would be lying if he mentioned that he hadn't considered that possibility, but his desire to live outweighed any negative consequence towards trusting the strange figure. He continued to glare at Blu and formed a wicked smile.

"You misunderstand, Blu," Marco announced. "I never trusted him from the get go, why would he grant me eternal life? That questioned played in my mind over and over again. But I decided that it really didn't matter, once I gained the power I desired, if he tried anything, I would take him out too."

"Really?" Blu arched an eyebrow. "He certainly didn't do himself any favours by picking you to revive."

Marco's wings twitched and without another sentence he charged forward as fast as he could go.

Blu swung his wing out but found himself striking only air. His eyes widened as he felt a warm bit of breath blowing on the back of his neck. He spun around and saw Marco standing mere inches from his face, his dark eyes narrowing as a savage smile formed on the end of his beak.

"What's the matter, Blu?" he asked. "Could it be that I have become way too fast for you?"

Blu's jaw dropped as he tried to figure out how Marco managed such an impressive feat. He hadn't even been able to follow the hawk's movements with his own eyes. It almost appeared as if the hawk teleported to the right location. Blu felt a sharp pain shoot through his stomach as the hawk raised his talon and dealt a devastating kick right into his gut. He groaned and fell backwards, winded and stunned from the force of the attack.

"I-I-I…"

"Try not to speak," Marco grinned. "It'll zap your strength, and I want you to suffer some more."

Marco struck his wing down, crushing Blu's throat as hard as he could without inflicting any serious injury to the macaw. With very little effort he lifted Blu off the ground and unleashed another kick right to the gut.

"You'll notice that my wings and talons are a lot stronger than the last time we fought. Do you feel the pain they can cause Blu? Do you feel the pain? Huh? Do you?! Well its nothing compared to the pain you put me through. It's nothing compared to losing all your friends in the entire world. It's nothing compared to dying. But you'll know these pains soon enough and you will feel every single painful vibration as it shoots through your body."

Blu would have responded but Marco tightened his wing around Blu's throat, stopping any further conversation between the two. The hawk's eyes burned into his, never peering away. Marco cackled and threw Blu down onto the ground.

"Now, suffer!" Marco demanded kicking Blu who shot a few feet across the sapphire floor. "SUFFER! YES, suffer the way that I've suffered! I want you to feel pain, Blu… Do you feel the pain?!"

Blu struggled to his talons, his body trembled from the damage inflicted to him. He couldn't move as the damaged nerves and torn tendons caused pain to course through his body. He moaned, coughing on occasion. His vision wouldn't focus, and the world around him swayed and encircled him.

"Jewel," he gasped. "Forgive me."


	42. Chapter 41: Flight of a Predator part 2

_**Chapter 41**_

_**Flight of a Predator part 2**_

Marco slammed down on Blu's neck once again and started squeezing with his talon as hard as he could without causing any serious injury to the macaw. His eyes burned as they slit into dangerous pools of hatred and fury. He could smell the blood sweeping through the macaw's body. He could almost taste his agony. As hard as Blu tried, he couldn't escape from his clutches. He rolled his eyes back in his head and cackled as he enjoyed every moment of Blu's pain.

"This is too exciting," Marco grinned. "I can hear you squirm. I can hear you grunting as you try to figure out a way to outsmart me. Is it too much for you, Blu? Have you realized that I am far superior to you in every single way? Oh, how I can taste your agony, I love it… now scream for me, Blu, scream for me! I want to hear it! I want to hear every blood curdling scream!"

Blu tried to speak but found he couldn't. The talon wrapped around his throat tightened further, forcing him into silence. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, and he couldn't move to defend himself. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pressure applied by his opponent. He tried to focus his mind so he could come up with some sort of plan, at least then, maybe he could inflict some damage to the hawk.

"I…I…I…" he choked out. Then it hit him, the strength in the hawk's talons. He could remember their previous encounter. The hawk's talons weren't that strong, even with Nigel's strength inside of him. His eyes shot open and he lashed his talons out striking Marco right in the chin. The hawk screeched as he felt the pain embrace him, and a gem fell to the ground just out of reach to both the hawk and the macaw. Marco jumped off, spreading his wings as far as they would allow and sailed back a few inches.

"So, you figured it out, eh?" Marco spit with disgust, his eyes never moved off his opponent. "But how did you manage to do it? You must have cheated! Nobody could ever get that lucky!"

Blu forced a rather confident smile despite every muscle in his body throbbing from the pain. He could taste the blood from an open mouth wound and spit in an effort to clear some of the thick red liquid from his beak. He eyed the dark gem which rested upon the ground and shook his head.

"You're using the same trick from before," Blu acknowledged as he rose up onto his talons. "You are using all the gems from the other Dark Robe Society members, aren't you?"

"Of course," Marco boasted. "I use them with pride, I tend to think of them as little keepsakes from my fallen brethren. Amber's Jollo's, Nigel's, Jose's, and Roger's, add them to my own and you get six. But I don't just have them at my disposal. I also have the best traits of my comrades burning deep inside of me. Amber's intelligence, Jollo's ability to avoid suffering any sort of serious injury, Nigel's strength, Jose's acrobatic abilities, and Roger's cunning and ability to form plans at a seconds notice. In turn I have become I have become the ultimate mercenary. Blu, with all these things at my disposal, you'll soon be resting in your own grave, while I have been granted eternal life."

"Yeah," Blu rolled his eyes, "That isn't going to happen."

Blu charged forward, lashing his wings as hard as he could in an effort to hit Marco. As fast as he moved however, the hawk seemed to be one step ahead of him. His eyes widened as he thought about it, and nodded to himself.

"I know what's up, you have Jose's talent powering up your legs." Blu admitted. "Well, I'll just have to deal with that first!"

Blu continued to charge forward, in a futile effort to hit the hawk with his strength. The hawk continued to back away, a smile formed upon Marco's face with each failed attempt. It became quite clear that Blu couldn't hit him, not as long as he could move faster than any creature in existence.

"Give up, Blu!" Marco cackled. "You can't win."

"Never!" Blu groaned. "That is one thing I won't do, I won't give up!"

Blu dropped down out of sight, and lashed out with his talons striking Marco in the second chin. He watched as a small rune appeared and disintegrated into dust. The last shred of Jose seemed to go extinct, lost forever and forgotten in time. Marco gasped as his legs slowed down, returning to their normal state.

"You got me?" Marco's eyes widened as he struggled to understand what just happened.

"Speed isn't everything," Blu admitted. "Sometimes you just need to outsmart your opponent."

"So you took a guess?" Marco arched a curious eyebrow. "Well, it looks like luck just struck twice in a row for you."

"Oh, it's not just luck," Blu mused. "I'm going to take away all your powers."

Marco's eyes narrowed as he listened to the macaw's remarks. His blood began to boil.

"If you are so confident, let's see you do it!"

* * *

# # #

* * *

Jewel slipped down into the passages deep underneath the castle, her eyes narrowed and glossed over as she adjusted her eyesight to the darkness. There didn't appear to be any guards, or sign of the Dark Robe Society which seemed odd, she also didn't have any explanation to the earthquake which happened a few minutes before. Her heart sank as she thought about Blu, had he been at the epicentre of the quake? Was he the one responsible for it? She shook her head and focused on the task at hand. She needed to find the prisoners and release them.

She fluttered to the bottom of a small staircase and stood in the dank, dark, prison block. Her feet sank as she treaded through some shallow muck. She cringed at the almost slimy feeling touching against her cerulean feathers, and tried her best to ignore the nasty stench permeating through the air like some strong perfume. Like a cross of rotten eggs and mould, she wanted to gag and vomit, at least then there would have been a reason for such a nasty smell.

"I've got to hurry," she told herself. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

One by one, Jewel slipped past the cells, peering into them as she searched for her two sons and their friend. One by one, she hurried past, hoping against hope that the next one she found would hold them inside. Finally she stopped as they came into view, she stood on the far side, just opposite of the opening, at the very last cell door near on the block. Without any word she peered down and proceeded to stick her talon into the lock, twisting it until she heard a soft click.

She smiled and opened the door, eyeing the three captives inside who looked eager to see her.

"Guys," she smiled, "Come on, let's go, we don't have much time."

"You got that right," a voice announced, forcing Jewel to freeze up. She turned around and saw a white unicorn standing behind her. He dressed in a bright red coat with a bluish trimming. His sky blue mane swayed as he turned his head and studied them for a moment. "I take it these must be your family members," he asked, arching a curious eyebrow.

"Who are you?" Jewel asked a little uneasy. "If you are an enemy than I am your worst nightmare, I'll claw your eyes out and make you wish you were never born."

"Easy now," The unicorn spoke in a comforting tone, he held up a hoof to hold off any potential charge. "My name is Shining Armour, I am the prince of the Crystal Empire, or at least I was until Discord and Chrysalis took over. The changeling always wanted to get her hands on the magic this empire contains, but we always managed to hold her off until now. In their last attack they took me captive, and are keeping me away from my wife. I don't even know if she is okay."

Jewel's eyes sank as she listened to the story, she could imagine that sort of pain, considering all the times she lost Blu to the Dark Robe Society. She sighed and fluttered over to the unicorn.

"Is she Princess Cadance?" Jewel asked.

"Have you seen her?" Shining Armour asked, his voice hinting for at least the tiniest bit of hope.

"Yes," Jewel nodded. "She's in Canterlot with that white unicorn with the wings."

"Princess Celestia?" Shining Armour corrected her. He immediately started to think and ponder the outcome of such an event. "If Cadance is with the princess than that is the best news I could have hoped for. It means she'll be sending help, and the Empire still has a chance to be saved."

"Yep," Jewel nodded. "I'm here with six ponies, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy."

"Celestia sent Twili here?" Shining Armour gasped. "Come on, we have to get to her, now!"

"She's waiting outside, please, if you are going to head out there, take my children with you, I must find my mate. I have a feeling he is in some serious danger."

Shining Armour nodded his head.

"Okay, let's get moving."

Jewel, the children, and Shining Armour all ran up the small staircase and stared out the nearest window. The five pillars of light burned bright drawing their attention. Their jaws gasped as they stared.

"Oh no!" Shining Armour muttered. "They must be trying to activate the destiny star! This isn't good!"

"The what star?" Jewel asked, "What is going on? What is with those pillars of light?"

"There's no time to explain," Shining Armour announced. "We have to find your mate, and we have to hurry up and end this, if the destiny star is activated, everything we know will come to an end."

Jewel and Shining Armour burst into a full paced sprint, their eyes filled with terror as they continued to stare at the lights, a cold chill crept into their spine.

"Be safe, Blu," Jewel said, "Please for the love of god, be safe."

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**What exactly is the Destiny Star? Why is it powering up the pillars of light? And why does it have Shining Armour so upset? Well find out next time. Coming up Next: Flight of a Predator Part 3 **_


	43. Chapter 42: Flight of a Predator part 3

_**Chapter 42**_

_**Flight of a Predator part 3**_

Princess Celestia peered out at the horizon. Her eyes filled with concern as she stared out at the large beams of light piercing through the ground and rising into the sky where it blended into a weird sort of webbing. The fur on the back of her neck stood on end as she could feel an evil energy radiating from those columns of pure anti-matter. There didn't appear to be any doubt in her mind as to why these beams appeared… the enemy which she feared more than anyone else, seemed to be making his move, but whatever he had planned in his devious mind still remained at a loss for her, except that these beams held a huge role in the grand scheme of things.

She lowered her head and let out a heartfelt sigh. Her eyes remained fixed on the horizon. Her heart sank into her chest as she swallowed hard. Without warning she spread her wings and took to the sky with all the speed her ancient body would allow. Her mind swelled with questions, duty, and the love for all of her beloved subjects who she ruled over, but none seemed more important than the six ponies she'd sent to the Crystal Empire to help resolve the matters out there.

"Twilight, don't worry, I am coming to help you with the fight." She said to no one in particular. "You do not know what you are up against, and with things beginning to unfold, you will need all the help you can get. Just please remember the lessons you have learned on friendship, they will aid you until I get there."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu and Marco met wing to wing, colliding together like two goliaths caught in an eternal power struggle, neither bird wanted to give an inch or to show weakness to his opponent, despite their fatigue and weakening prowess. Blu's eyes narrowed and without warning he dropped down striking Marco in the chest with his talons, and proceeded to rip a couple of feathers from the evil hawk. His eyes widened as he caught site of another rune which shattered upon impact with the macaw.

"I thought so," he smiled, "I'll assume that was Jollo's ability to keep you from suffering serious injuries."

Marco growled and slammed his wing right into Blu's face, causing the macaw to gasp and stumble backwards a few steps. Blood dripped from his beak as he stood upright and studied the damage for a few seconds.

"What's the matter, Blu?" Marco asked. "I can't stand around here and play with you all day, I'm a very busy bird and I've got far too many things to do. You're just the first of the enemies that need to be taken care of, so forgive me if I seem rude, but I'm going to have to speed things up."

"Yeah?" Blu gasped, "Well, you aren't going to get the chance, I hate to break it to you but those gems have some sort of purpose, and there is a good chance that you won't make it very far if you possess them."

Marco slammed his wing into Blu's beak again and growled. His eyes hardened as he thought about the macaw's words. He'd be lying if he admitted he hadn't thought about the true purpose of the gems, but he didn't care about such things.

"A bird like you has no right to say such things to me," he growled. "Of course I am aware of that, a sharper bird would know that these gems are not what they completely appear to be. But enough talk, let's finish this."

Blu lunged forward striking Marco's wings as hard as he could with his beak. He ripped open several wounds and pulled out three gems and tossed them to the ground. Blu smiled as he studied his work.

"Well, well, I've got four of them. I am guessing there are two in your neck. Once I get them, its game over for you."

Marco raised his wings and revealed the bladed gauntlets he possessed, he forced a confident smile and struck the nearby wall.

"I won't allow you to get that close, Blu." He admitted. "Do you forget who I am? I am Marco, I am the leader of the Dark Robed Society, I controlled a group of villainous birds with my own powers long before I died. Every creature I ever met has had their lives destroyed because of me. Now if you would be so kind, would you kindly die so I can go about the rest of my life."

Marco focused the power in his wings and unleashed a huge fireball similar to his finishing move from their previous encounter. Blu's eyes widened as he realized he hadn't yet destroyed all of the runes in Marco's body, he still possessed Nigel's strength which powered up his attack. Blu closed his eyes and waited, holding out his wings, hoping against all hope that he could stop the attack from hitting him.

"Here goes nothing," Blu swallowed hard. "Let's hope this works."

The large fireball hit Blu, pushing him back a few paces, but he found himself able to withstand the heat. Back and back, the fireball pushed him, his talons scraped across the crystalline floor. He couldn't push it forward, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't find the strength within him.

"No!" Blu screamed, "I've got to think of something, anything at all!"

Suddenly the fireball shot forward back towards Marco who started to scream. The blast couldn't be stopped, he couldn't control it. The hawk held up his wings and tried to block them with his gauntlets which gave off a mighty hiss before shattering into tiny shards.

"NOOOOOO!" Marco screamed at the top of his lungs, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The fireball swallowed Marco whole, before finally dissolving. Without warning Blu charged forward and unleashed his finishing move, his own bladed gauntlets separated Marco back into two halves, split just underneath the torso, very similar to the first time. The hawk landed with thunderous force and smiled at him before closing them one final time.

"You win," Marco groaned, "But you didn't do it alone."

Blu panted and peered back confused. He knew the attack had been to powerful to stop, but he couldn't put his wing around how he'd been able to redirect the attack back at his enemy. He turned his eyes back towards where he'd been a few moments ago, and looked into the eyes of the real creature responsible… his lovely mate… Jewel. She smiled at him and winked.

"I couldn't leave you to fight by yourself," She explained. "You needed help, and we always worked best as a team."

"That we do," Blu smiled, "That we do-"

Before Blu could finish, a cruel laugh broke through the air drowning out any further conversation. The evil tone sent a cold chill down his spine, it seemed very demonic and very threatening. He swallowed hard and peered around the room, everything around him seemed to change. The crystalline walls and floor grew dark and blackened smothering the light. Large jagged monolith of onyx stone embraced Marco, pulling him up off the ground, where a large dark robed figure laughed evilly.

"It's you!" Jewel gasped, remembering the figure from their previous encounter in Cammel-hoof, but something about him seemed different, he didn't appear to be the fake entity from before, no, some sixth sense in her body warned her that this was in fact the real evil and demonic figure who should be blamed for everything.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the demonic figure laughed lowering himself to the ground. His eyes glowed like wildfire. "Welcome, Blu, welcome Jewel, I have been expecting you for quite some time."

"So what?" Blu asked. "Do you expect me to be afraid of you? Are you supposed to be some big scary monster who is our worst fear? You look like a Halloween reject from Minnesota."

"Charming," The figure cackled, "But not unexpected. Allow me to introduce myself, I am the Nightmare."

Blu rolled his eyes and turned to Jewel who stood petrified of the figure. Her body trembled as she fought to control her own fear.

"Jewel?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Jewel didn't respond, her eyes continued to glare at the entity who turned his attention to Marco.

"Nuh-uh-uh," The figure echoed, "We're not all here yet, but you will be soon enough."

Appearing as if on cue, Twilight and her friends all seemed to be teleported into the darkened chamber, their eyes filled with fright as they took in the surrounding environment, furthered by the cold chill which haunted the air. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie all peered up at the figure with a loss for words, even more so when they noticed Marco.

"Marco's dead?" Twilight swallowed hard, "What happened to him?"

"Allow me to explain," The dark figure cackled. "When the Dark Robed Society fell apart and their gems were removed one by one, Marco should have forgotten about revenge and flew as far as he could… perhaps he would have lived a little while longer, at least until I caught up with him again… but he didn't. He came to the castle to avenge his fallen comrades, and he ended up fighting with you, Blu. It's kind of funny, the stupidity of Earthlings makes me absolutely sick to my stomach, time and time again they all prove how stupid they really are, even villains like Marco and his Dark Robed Society, they all do what they're told until their usefulness has come to an end."

The crystals shifted and pierced Marco's neck and removed the last few gems from Marco. Within seconds the last remaining member of the Dark Robed Society crumbled and fell to dust, ending the evil rein of the villains who once haunted Rio de Janeiro. The hawk's skull fell to the ground and shattered upon impact with the dark black crystals, causing Blu to turn away.

"Damn you!" Blu growled. "Damn you!"

"What's the matter, Blu?" Nightmare asked. "It was you who ultimately defeated Marco, I just finished the job. You should really be blaming yourself."

"Oh," Blu glared at the dark figure. He recalled all of his run-ins with Marco and all the times they fought. Every memory seemed to sting at him as he mourned the hawk's death. "Sure, he killed thousands of innocent creatures, and he was far from my friend, in fact the hawk was downright evil, but believe me, HE WAS A MILLION TIMES MORE DECENT THAN YOU!"


	44. Chapter 43: True Intentions

_**Chapter 43:**_

_**True Intentions!**_

Blu watched as Nightmare pulled the remaining shards from Marco's neck and cringed as the last remaining member of the Dark Robe Society became extinct. His body and skin peeled away and crumbled into dust leaving nothing behind except for a few bones and a half rotten skull. The skull fell like a rock, hitting the ground and shattering upon impact. His guilt rose as he realized that the hawk hadn't been able to fight back or change his fate, all because of their battle. Marco died for a second time all because of what he'd done. Blu closed his eyes and tried to wipe the vision from his mind, but he couldn't. He could hear the hawk's voice in the back of his brain.

"A bird like you has no business criticizing us…"

"You killed my band of seven comrades…"

"You won't leave here, macaw."

Blu shook his head and opened his eyes to see the bones continuing to fall to the ground, each one made a soft clink which sent a sharp chill through his spine. He swallowed hard, and forced himself to keep watching. Just because Marco –in his own mind- was nothing more than a creature of pure evil, and a cold blooded killer, he still didn't deserve to be betrayed or killed like that. The veins in his head swelled as he looked up at the evil dark robed creature, he could feel the blood in his body boil, and taste the bitterness of guilt.

"DAMN YOU!" Blu glared at him. "MARCO MAY HAVE BEEN EVIL BUT HE WAS A MILLION TIMES MORE DECENT THAN YOU!"

Jewel wrapped her wings around Blu and tried to calm him down, but she could feel his body tremble and pulsate as his anger began to rise beyond controllable limits. His eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness of the blackened area. His anger spoke more volumes than any words could. Despite being bitter enemies, it became quite clear that Blu held a certain respect towards Marco, a respect which no one could ever know, a respect which could only come from rivals who stood evenly matched and forced themselves too be better than they could be on their own. By hurting Marco, Blu had been hurt as well, and the macaw stood ready to fight.

"How cute," the dark robed figure laughed. "But you are horribly misguided, you can't beat me. My plan can not be stopped, nor can you change anything. Allow me to demonstrate, will you?"

The dark robed figure held up the last candle just as it became extinguished. The last few embers died off as smoke on the breeze. With the flame gone, a shaft of light emerged, it pierced through the ground and shattered through the crystal. It reached high as far as the eye could see until it disappeared in the atmosphere. The dark robe figure laughed as he raised his limbs and eyed his creation.

"Right on time," he cackled. "Right on time!"

Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rico, Jewel, Rose, Buster, Kinski, Shining Armour, and Blu all gazed up at the pillar of light, the hairs on the back of their neck stood on end as they became rather uncomfortable around it. No one knew what to think as the beams of anti-matter stretched up like a never ending fountain of water.

"Stop it right now," Twilight demanded. "Just what do you think you are doing? What is with those beams of light? What is happening here?"

"I'm winning," The dark robed figure laughed. "I've been planning this for over one thousand years. Every single day, I've waited and waited for this one moment, the moment when these beams of light would appear, and my plan can be realized. I've waited so long, and now even as I stand here, the thrill of it, the sheer excitement, it's captivating and wonderful."

Twilight slammed her hoof across the ground, her eyes narrowed.

"You didn't answer my question, just what are these beams of light? What are you planning on doing?"

"He's going to do something that's never been done before." A voice called out. Twilight turned her head and watched Princess Celestia step forth. Her wings spread wide as she glared at her opponent, the enemy who'd she fought in the past. Her eyes narrowed, she blew steam from her muzzle. She never turned to face Twilight, but she continued to address her loyal subject. "It took a while for me to figure it out, but it can not be denied. He is planning to rip a hole between dimensions, he is planning on escaping onto other worlds, once there, he can not be stopped. He'll have complete control over time and space, and become the ultimate creature with no weaknesses. He must be stopped now."

"But who is he?" Twiligh Sparkle asked. "How can he know such a thing, when even I didn't know it and I've read every book you've given me."

"His magic is a dark magic," Celestia explained. "You've faced off with him before. Think back, remember what I told you…"

Twilight's eyes widened as she peered at the dark robed figure. She recalled Celestia's words that day not so long ago right before they got sent to the Crystal Empire to deal with King Sombra… she recalled how he'd been able to spread darkness through sheer thought, and had enslaved the Crystal Ponies so long ago. Her heart stopped beating as she put two and two together. This mysterious creature, his plans… everything seemed to fit together.

"It's King Sombra…" Twilight gasped. "Isn't it, this entity, it is King Sombra's true form. We didn't defeat him when we met and he was blown apart by the Crystal Heart, but it didn't actually hurt him, he's still alive!"

Celestia nodded her head.

"It looks that way," She admitted. "Now Sombra, he who is a false king, why don't you show yourself and quit hiding behind this masquerade. Why do you hide behind your false identity?"

"Ah come now, Celestia," A voice echoed out, drawing Celestia's attention. Her eyes widened as she realized it came from just inches away from her ear. Princess Celestia jumped back and stared at the evil creature she knew so well. Her voice rang out as a single word, which also happened to be the creature's name.

"Discord…"

Twilight Sparkle spun around and noticed that Discord hadn't been the only creature in the room. Queen Chrysalis also stood blocking off the exit, barring any escape attempt on the ponies behalf.

"We're trapped!" Twilight gasped.

"Of course we are," Blu noted. "Bad guys always trap the good guys, it's just what happens."

"You won't get away with this Discord!" Celestia growled.

The black robed entity gave off a wicked cackle and nodded his head.

"You are quite right," he mused. "Discord won't get away with this."

The Dragon-a-chiss turned his head, his bright yellow and red eyes widened as he tried to figure out what his master meant from such a thing. He teleported by his master's side and leaned inwards whispering.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me."

Without any warning, the dark robed entity grabbed hold of Discord's neck and began to chant to himself. Discord found himself unable to teleport or get away, and in turn ultimately found the colour of his body beginning to dull into a lifeless grey. His eyes widened as he tried to move but found himself unable to do so. The creature seemed to be changing him back into his stone prison.

"No… No…. NOOOOOO!" Discord moaned, but found it was too late, he became stuck in his stature form as if nothing ever happened before.

"What?! B-B-But he was on our side!" Chrysalis hissed. "Y-Y-You traitor."

Nightmare laughed and nodded his head.

"You are quite right," he mused. "The two of you have outlived your usefulness. I hope you enjoy wandering a desert, because you'll be spending the next few years there. Goodbye, sweet Queen."

Nightmare slammed his hoof down upon the ground and watched as a large opening formed in the ground and swallowed Chrysalis hole. The changeling queen let out a horrified shriek, which began to die off as the opening closed and vanished from existence. With his two pawns out of the way, he turned his back to the ponies and macaws and raised his limbs to the sky.

"And now we evoke the powers of the destiny star… let the boundries between this world and the next disappear and become as one! YES, LET THE WORLDS BE MINE!"

Blu eyed the sky, his eyes widened as he noted a tear beginning to form. He recognised something, which filled him with dread. The hole in the sky widened, and yet he couldn't peer away from the image it contained.

"Jewel, do you see what I see?" Blu asked quickly.

"Yeah," Jewel nodded her head. "But that's impossible, isn't it?"

The birds from Rio all swallowed hard as they focused on the same thing. Inside the hole which seemed to be converging on the whole of Equestria, was the statue of Christ the Redeemer, the world fusing with Equestria, was Earth but more importantly, it was their home of Rio de Janeiro.

Blu and Jewel peered at each other, the fear in their eyes spoke volumes.

"What does this mean?" Blu asked.

"I-I-I don't know..." Jewel gasped. "Does this mean our home is going to be destroyed?"

"No," Blu shook his head. "One way or another, I am going to stop this, right now. So let's go save the world."


	45. Chapter 44: Back to Rio

_**Chapter 44:**_

_**Back to Rio**_

Blu's eyes couldn't peer away from the statue of Christ the Redeemer as it continued to descend downwards from the sky, he could feel the presence of evil as the world around him began to change. It appeared that with the hole in the fabric of reality, two worlds would soon converge upon each other and create a warp that could never be healed. He closed his eyes and tried to think up a plan, his beak trembled, as hard as he tried, he couldn't think up anything that could save them now… but he wouldn't give up. He refused to give in and let Nightmare win. He would stand strong, and defeat this challenge, the way he'd been able to conquer everything in his life up until this point. He recalled Alice and Chloe and how little they thought of him, they'd gone out of their way to torment him, but he stood strong. He remembered Jewel not liking him and refusing to believe in his value because of him being a pet, but he'd been able to win her over and win her heart. He even managed to defeat every single member of the Dark Robe Society, not once but twice. This situation would be no different.

He stood there, his eyes remained shut. He wouldn't move from this spot no matter how much his fear told him to run. He wouldn't give Nightmare that privilege. He listened to the sounds of Nightmare's cold cruel laughter, and smelled the odour of bitter destruction in the air. Within that moment, he opened his eyes and turned to Jewel who waited for his orders.

"Jewel, gather everyone and bring them here as fast as possible." Blu told her. "I've got an idea."

"Okay," Jewel nodded her head. She didn't want to argue with him now, not if this meant their only chance of survival. Without wasting another moment, she spread her wings and drew the attention of the remaining creatures, both bird and pony alike. It only took a few moments before everyone stood before Blu, who tried his best to explain what they needed to do.

"Okay, so it is quite clear we need to find a way to stop Nightmare," he explained. "That much I think everyone here can agree with. I've been thinking, and I think we should try and use the Crystal Heart again. If I remember correctly it was able to repel him the first time… and in theory it might be able to do it again."

"In theory?" Jewel arched a curious eyebrow and swallowed hard. Her voice grew shaky and concerned about the alternative that it possibly couldn't work. She peered away from Blu, knowing that she could trust him, but his plans usually held a flaw or two. She put a voice to her concerns in a simple question. "Tell me, what will happen if this doesn't work?"

"It has to work," Blu sighed. He shifted his attention back towards the sky and the blood red sky which flickered occasionally like lightning. "We have no choice. There are two worlds are depending on us, and we can't afford to let anyone down."

Nightmare laughed and threw up his talons. His eyes began to glow like wildfire drawing Blu's attention, he couldn't peer away. He could feel his body beginning to lift off the ground, and fade into a blinding light. He watched as Jewel, and the rest of his friends vanished, and within seconds he found himself awakening within the comforts of his nest, back in Rio de Janeiro.

The bright sun glistened over the tropical cloisters of the jungle. He could feel the pleasant breeze sweep across his shoulders and brush through his feather column and tail. He raised his head and let out a pleasant smile. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to experience peace and quiet. For as long as he could remember, the entire time he had been in Rio, there always seemed to be someone interested in causing him pain, or trying to hurt him. The Smugglers, the Dark Robe Society, and Nightmare, every one of them played a part in the much larger grand scheme of things.

"Hey, Jewel," he muttered. "How did we get back here, I mean weren't we in Equestria with the-"

Blu stopped as he peered down at the empty nest. Jewel didn't appear to be in the hollow, in fact, his children didn't appear to be in the hollow. He turned around and eyed the city looming off in the distance. It always amazed him just how awe inspiring it looked, like some silent sentinel sent from the gods which offered a place in this tropical paradise. He frowned, and lowered his gaze. None of it meant anything if he didn't have his family by his side.

"Where is everyone?" He found himself asking. He raised his wings and took to the sky, flying off towards the city of Rio. Some sixth sense told him that that was where he needed to go, and it would be there that he would find Jewel.

After a few minutes of sustained flight, he caught the familiar scent of Jewel's musk. He let out a heartfelt sigh, it reminded him of lilac and daffodils. She always seemed to smell like some kind of wonderful flower garden, and it made his heart skip a beat. His beak curled into a smile as he performed a barrel roll and chuckled to himself in celebration. It hadn't taken very long, and already he found his first clue. He'd found Jewel's scent, and all he needed to do was follow the trail.

"Hang on, Jewel." He said to himself. "I'm coming."

* * *

# # #

* * *

Blu found Jewel in her favourite spot, in a small field just outside of the city. She sat underneath a set of cherry blossom trees. The russet shade of pink, and the golden rays of the sunlight made her cerulean feathers sparkle like a coat of diamond dust formed together into a living thing. Blu smiled as he approached her, and wrapped his wings tight around her.

"Jewel," Blu gasped. "Oh how I've missed you."

The female grunted and shoved him away. Her eyes hardened as she poised herself ready to strike at the bird who dared to be so close to her. She dropped into a more defensive stance, and her voice rang out harsh and cruel, very unlike the Jewel he knew and cared for. His eyes widened as he realized that this wasn't the Jewel he knew, this was in fact, the predator she had once been so long ago.

"Blu, how dare you show yourself here!" she demanded. "Do you honestly think that I would forget what you did?"

"Wait, um, what?" Blu cocked his head, he raised his wing as he tried to stop any immediate attack on the female's behalf. "What are you talking about Jewel, I haven't done anything to you. I wouldn't do anything to you, I love you."

"And yet that didn't stop you from abandoning us," Jewel declared. "The kids spent years without their father, I spent years without you as well. We don't need you, and it is quite clear that we never did. So why don't you just go, and get out of here? Go enjoy your life, and stop worrying about the life you left behind."

"Left behind?" Blu asked, he couldn't believe his own ears. He couldn't believe Jewel's conniving tone which passed judgement on him. His eyes welled with tears as he tried to think about how he'd managed to push Jewel away. It didn't make sense, they'd been so in love that he couldn't live without her… and yet she claimed he had abandoned her. He lowered his head.

"B-B-But?"

"Blu, get out of here." Jewel told him again. "Look, you've been gone fifteen years, the kids and I have moved on. It is way too late for you to do anything now. We had our chance, and we obviously failed."

"B-B-But?" Blu tried to speak but his beak wouldn't co-operate.

"Forget it," Jewel groaned, rolling her eyes. "You know, I just wanted to enjoy some time by myself, and instead I run into you. Thanks again Blu, you always seem to ruin my day. How I ever could have loved you is beyond me."

Blu blinked and found himself standing alone, Jewel had vanished like a phantom on the breeze. He fell to the ground sobbing, stung by Jewel's words. He couldn't believe he was alone, heartbroken, and confused. She said he'd been gone for fifteen years, but he couldn't figure out how.

"Get up!"

Blu shook his head.

"Get up!"

Blu shook his head again.

"Get up, Blu!"

Blu opened his eyes as he recognised the voice. He peered up and found a mirror like image of himself standing over top of his fallen form. The doppelganger's chocolate brown eyes studied him for several seconds before he repeated himself again.

"Get up Blu!"

"B-B-But Jewel, she doesn't love me anymore." Blu groaned. "I can't live without her."

"She was never here," the macaw explained, he turned his back on him. "She was never here at all."

"What?" Blu asked, "How is that possible, I talked to her, I heard her, I even smelled her scent."

"She was never here." The macaw muttered. "This isn't real,"

"I don't understand…" Blu gasped.

"It's Nightmare," The macaw explained. "He's distracting you… he's trying to pass time because he knows you can stop him. He managed to put you under some kind of spell. He's playing off your insecurities, and your fears. You know Jewel… you fear to be without her, he has used that to his advantage. Hide your fears, Blu, burry them deep down inside, and you will find the power to save the day."

Blu nodded his head and found several other creatures standing around him. He recognised them almost immediately, the six members of the Dark Robe Society, with the seventh being himself, the obvious incarnate to what had once been Dark Blu. All seven creatures smiled at him.

"So this is it," Jose grinned. "Blu, I knew there was something special about you since the moment we met in the subway tunnels. That is why I befriended you and helped you get away. That is why I was so tough on you when we fought, you have proven your strength and will for victory can overcome any physical injury. You must remember your generosity, remember how you saved me from being controlled by the Dark Robe Society, and how you taught me to be selfless."

"Blu," Amber piped in. "You have made me so proud of you. I wish I could have gotten to know you better, but from what I have seen, you carry forth my spirit, remember all that I have taught you. You hold a loyalty to my sister, you must remember that you two are meant to be together forever."

"Yes, Blu," Roger mumbled. "You have taught me something too. You have taught me that you are honest. You never backed down when we fought, especially when a lesser creature would have lied and tried to cheat when facing off against the odds that I provided. You stuck to your roots, and for that you have earned my respect."

"You're good," Jollo chuckled. "Despite everything I put you through… you won the day and won Jewel. It's almost funny, you withstood my poison, you even were going to live up to my challenge. I can only imagine what it would have been like for us to have fought in that rematch. I would have loved it, it would have been fun. I am sure the victor would have been experiencing laughter for years to come."

"And then there is me," Nigel frowned. "I had been so mean to you, we've fought three times, and when you could have ended me, you chose not too. Your kindness, is sickening, but I must admit, you are a one of a kind bird."

Marco stepped forward and patted a wing against Blu's back. He smiled and nodded his head.

"So I'm the last one," Marco noted. "Blu, we fought twice, and you managed to beat me both times. I don't understand it but you pushed me to be my best, and vice versa. We both held a mutual respect for each other, and we both wanted to become the victor in the end. I don't understand it but I can see you going far, it's almost magical, you have unlimited potential."

"You see Blu," Blu's doppelganger said. "Every one of these guys have crafted you into the bird you are now. When I ran rampant, you were able to hold me back. The love and light within you is overwhelming. I can feel it even now, you are a special bird Tyler, I wish you the best of luck."

"We all do," Marco muttered.

All six members of the Dark Robe Society held out their wings and paws, handing Blu their dark gem. He could feel a renewed life within them, it filled him with hope and light, it filled him with energy. The gems circled around him, and he noticed that they weren't the same as the gems he'd pulled from Marco in their battle… NO… these held individual shapes. The world around him shattered and he stood before Nightmare once again, who stood wide eyed as he noticed Blu's determination.

Twilight gasped as she noticed the crystal heart appear in Blu's wings, but she also noticed the power surrounding him. All of the ponies stared in amazement as they all came to the same conclusion.

"Blu," Twilight gasped. "He has control of the elements of harmony."


	46. Chapter 45: Shock of Reality

_**Chapter 45:**_

_**Shock of Reality!**_

Blu stood to his maximum height and stretched his wings as far as his body would allow. With every last strand of fibre and DNA in his body, he could feel the power surging from the elements of harmony and the crystal heart which now stood in his possession. Without any words at all, he just stood there, with a stern glare towards his opponent – the evil and vicious Nightmare – who sought to merge both worlds together and become their rulers. For the first time in his life, he showed no doubt, or conflict, and he looked every bit as determined as Jewel whenever she had her mind set on something. To all those watching him, it became very clear that Blu wouldn't let Nightmare's plan succeed until he took his last breath.

Blu's tail swayed along the ground picking up a large coating of dust from the crystal flooring. His head bent low as he poised himself to strike. In secret, he watched the descending world of Rio de Janeiro as it came closer and closer to Equestria with every passing second. His eyes narrowed as he noticed something else… something he hadn't noticed before. The colour of both worlds seemed to be draining to a lifeless black, and a cold chill haunted the air, some sixth sense warned him that the fabrics of reality were beginning to shift, and if he was going to do anything it would have to be now. He didn't have a second to waste.

"Here goes nothing," he told himself. "Let's save the world."

Nightmare raised his limb and stopped Blu's advance, he cocked his head and studied the macaw for a few seconds. His eyes burned like wildfire from underneath his hood, which intensified as he spoke with a will of iron which deflected his confusion towards these turn of events.

"Tell me, how is it possible that you have possession of the Elements of Harmony?" he asked. "I corrupted them, I saw to it that I transformed them into their polar opposites, and I implanted one in each member of the Dark Robe Society, when they died the powers they possessed should have belonged to me. How is it that they would choose a bird like you?"

Blu nodded his head and studied the magical aura surrounding him. His eyes widened as he thought about it. His beak curled as he tried to form his words but found he couldn't. There wasn't a single explanation which he could think of to explain what happened. Without wasting a moment he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm just as confused as you are." He admitted. "I guess they just like me."

Nightmare cackled and turned his head away. He raised his limbs to the sky and revealed a bright red star just off on the horizon. With the normal lighting of the moon, this star would have remained invisible, but it burned bright and noticeable like an evil eye watching over them. The robed creature continued to laugh for a few more minutes before he turned his attention back to the macaw.

"It doesn't matter anyways," Nightmare admitted. "In a few more minutes the strands connecting both dimensions will give way and both worlds will be on the verge of a dimensional collapse. Every single one of you will be destroyed, but I am protected by the destiny star, I am protected by the power it provides. I will rebuild the worlds, and watch over them as life begins again, this time with no mistakes brought forth by evolution or by a creator, instead there will only be blackness, cold, and no emotions. Everything will live as an eternal nightmare where there is no way of ever waking up. Can't you just imagine it?"

"That is not going to happen!" Blu announced. "Because I am going to stop you, right here and right now."

Nightmare cackled again, this time his evil nature broke through as it sent a chill down Blu's spine. The macaw cringed and peered back at his friends who all held a look of disbelief on their faces. No one could imagine a little macaw standing up to such a powerful monstrous being, and yet it unfolded right before their eyes.

"If that is the case, then try it… try it! I would love to see you try! It will be so disappointing for you when you fail."

Blu closed his eyes and blocked out any sound, thought, or sight. He focused on Jewel, the love of his life. It made his heart beat faster as he imagined her leaning in and planting a warm passionate kiss on the end of his beak. He listened to her voice brought forth from his brain, as he imagined her celebrating about his victory.

"Blu!" She cheered, wrapping her talons around him. "You were wonderful! I can't believe you did it!"

Blu formed a confident smile as he realized he'd only ever seen this excitement from her once before… way back when he first learned to fly, and they enjoyed their first few moments as a couple. His heart skipped a beat as he listened to the excitement in her voice… yes… it made him feel complete.

Everyone watched as Blu unleashed a large rainbow coloured blast which swirled around and struck Nightmare a devastating blow. It encircled him, and made him vanish from sight. The rainbow light spun faster and faster as it did its work with proficient time and accuracy, and yet Nightmare made no attempts at all to run or scream. He stood their waiting for the blast. After a few moments, everything seemed quiet, and Blu opened his eyes. He turned towards his friends and smiled.

"I-I-I did it," he grinned. "It's over, it's finally over."  
"Nothing is over until I say it is," a voice bellowed out from behind. Blu froze and spun around to see Nightmare crippled over in pain, his eyes continued to burn bright. He cackled and lowered himself onto all fours. His back bubbled as his robe gave away, splintering from the effects of the elements' powers being used on him. His eyes continued to stare as he became visible in plain sight. He no longer stood as a monstrous entity, instead he looked the part of a evil, demonic, unicorn with a bright red horn, glowing greenish red eyes accompanied by bright purple fire surrounding his irises, sharp razor fangs, and a coat blacker than the darkest of nights. He stood as tall as Celestia, and grew larger as his transformation became complete.

"B-B-But that should have worked!" Twilight announced. "The Elements of Harmony have never let us down before."

"I don't understand," Celestia admitted. "The Elements of Harmony is the strongest magic known to ponydom, and it failed, what can we possibly do now? This doesn't make any sense."

Nightmare cackled and spit with disgust, his sharp jagged tongue licked his dry cracked lips as he stood ready to devour the impudent fools who challenged his rule. His laughter didn't seem to be coming from the figure itself, but instead came from every single direction.

"Celestia," the unicorn croaked out, "You are a fool! Do you not remember our encounter one thousand years ago? When you transformed me into shadow… do you honestly expect that those results didn't come with any side effects? I am immune to the Elements of Harmony, I am the ultimate being now, and you can not stop me."

"But how?" Celestia asked.

"You destroyed my body and sealed me under the ice, during that time I learned how to exist between the gaps in the dimensions and that became a very useful trick to know… it wasn't long afterwards that I found myself in Rio de Janeiro, a city within the country of Brazil on the planet Earth, it was there that I found Marco, a devious little hawk who wanted more than the life he was being offered. I tricked him into betraying his family and commit his first murder… which happened to be his father… along the way I ran into more creatures with hearts just as dark as my own. It became quite easy to convince them to form the Dark Robed Society, and they found you Rico…"

Rico gasped and raised his wings to his beak as he recalled Marco's time with his family, how the hawk stole his parents and Angelina from him. His beak curled into a hateful yet fearful expression. He backed away.

"No, it was you who sent the hawk to us?" He asked. "You were the one responsible for the death of my parents and Angelina as well?"

"It was quite easy," The unicorn laughed. "I knew of a half breed who would exist not far into the future, and his existence would weaken the barriers of existence, you're a freak Rico who serves only to further my plans."

Rico dropped himself to the ground and began to sob. Rose wrapped her wings around him and hugged him.

"Don't listen to him," she soothed. "He's trying to hurt us."

"And it isn't just Rico," Nightmare laughed. "Do you recall your little meeting with Eva, Rafael, how you met her at Carnaval? Who do you think it was who manipulated destiny and forced the two of you together… do you think it was circumstantial that the two of you would meet? HA! It was all according to my plan, I needed someone who could fall in love and grow a large family so it would be so much more devastating when I separated you."

Rafael lowered his head, he couldn't deny that he feared losing them. It forced him to swallow hard.

"Aye Corumba."

"And then there is another creature I manipulated, let's think back about that day shall we? On that day a lone spix's macaw sat in a nest while the birds around him played and sang. A lone macaw who hadn't yet learned to fly, and watched as the remainder of the birds around him became trapped in nets and cages. On that day his life changed forever as he came to Moose Lake Minnesota to be with a girl with mental problems… yes Blu, it was me who made your parent's disappear and lured the smuggler's to you… it was I who told Roger about your existence and he acted faster than I ever would have expected… it was I who led Tulio to you so you could meet Jewel… it was I who played a role in your entire life."

Blu raised his wings to his beak as his eyes widened. His entire life existed only because of this monster. Every decision he ever made, only served to help the monster destroy both worlds. His meeting with Jewel, his meeting with Linda, him coming to Rio, it all happened because of Nightmare.

"Blu!" Jewel gasped, fluttering to his side and wrapping her wings around him. "Don't listen to him…"

Nightmare watched the confusion amongst the birds of Rio and could feel their fear of him. It allowed his power to grow further. He peered down at his hooves and watched as they began to crack and glow with a tainted black light. He grew a couple of inches as he formed a smile.

"Yes," he said. "I am responsible for everything… all of you owe your lives to me."


	47. Chapter 46: One Last Chance

_**Chapter 46:**_

_**One Last Chance**_

Despite Jewel's wings wrapped around him or her soothing voice in his ears, Blu couldn't peel his eyes away from Nightmare. He swallowed a large lump in his throat as he contemplated the truth behind the unicorn's words. Although he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't put it aside nor could he deny that the monstrous horse knew more about him, than he knew himself. It almost stood as if Nightmare spoke the truth, and used it like a sword. It struck hard and stung like a knife piercing through his heart, but in the end they were just words. He turned to all of his friends and raised his wings. He addressed them in a loud confident voice.

"Listen to me," he said. "The past is the past, we can not change it. Sure, we owe our pasts to him, but didn't those pasts bring us good things too? Rafael, you and Eva had eighteen beautiful though very sadistic children. You have become a dutiful father and showed loyalty even through the hard times of being a parent. Rico, you lost Angelina, but didn't that make you stronger? It taught you to enjoy every second of life, and to laugh in the face of danger… and as for myself, I met Jewel and I learned to fly, I have four beautiful children, and even though one of us isn't here anymore, I still love them all, and they are the light of my life."

Blu stumbled forward and pointed a wing at the unicorn.

"Nightmare, you have given us bad things in our lives, but you've also given us great things as well. Despite the evils you've inflicted you've shown us the magic of friendship. When everything is said and done, it is you who let your plans fail, not us, you struck the final nail in your plan's coffin, and you are the cheese to my sprinkles, and I know that sounds like a Minnesota thing, but those words ring louder and truer than ever before."

Rafael, Jewel, Rico, Rose, and the ponies, all nodded their heads in agreement and formed a confident smile. Blu's words rung out loud and true, even if they didn't understand the concept of cheese and sprinkles which Blu often referred to as a Minnesota thing, but they couldn't argue the rest. Celestia smiled and stepped forward, her voice lowered to a soft whisper.

"I must say you have learned a very valuable lesson, young man. It doesn't matter if you've experienced bad things, those bad things can often form good things as well. Every decision has a reaction, whether it is good or bad, that is up for you to decide. You have learned much since we first met a few days ago… and Equestria is proud to have you as an ally."

"You're a fool!" Nightmare hissed, "There is no good or bad, the destiny star determines everything. When the dimensions collapse, you'll learn that as you float in limbo for the rest of eternity."

Blu narrowed his eyes and turned to the group of creatures, every one of them waited for him to do something. The macaw sighed and addressed them further. His voice held no sign of anger or hatred for the unicorn, nor did he hold any grudges against the things the unicorn had done.

"I will finish this," he told them.

"No," Celestia frowned. "Let us do it together, as friends."

The ponies and birds all nodded and joined wings and hooves, they formed a circle around Blu and they waited. The Elements of Harmony began to glow, enveloping everyone in the area, whether pony or bird, it didn't matter, they stood united for a single cause, and stood in an effort to save the world. The element of Loyalty floated over to Rainbow Dash, who held her hoof in Rafael's wing. The Element of Laughter fell over to Pinkie Pie and Rico. The Element of Kindness floated towards Fluttershy and Jewel. The Element of generosity merged with Rarity and Rose, while the Element of Honesty went to Applejack. Twilight stepped into the middle of the circle and joined her hoof with Blu as the final element… the Element of Magic remained over his head.

In that moment the Crystal Heart in his wings started to glow, and Blu found himself lifting off the ground and becoming one with the light source. The Crystal Heart charged for a few seconds before unleashing a huge seismic blast straight at the unicorn who couldn't run or dodge the blast. The Elements of Harmony powered by the collective group of friends, followed suit and fired the rainbow blast straight at the evil unicorn who still stood stunned. Nightmare let out a scream as his body parts started to crumble and separate and within seconds, he crumbled to dust and the blackness of the area returned to their original state.

"We did it," Blu panted falling to the ground, "Does this mean we can finally enjoy the peaceful life?"

"I suppose it does," Celestia smiled. "After all these years, the enemies have been vanquished and we can start renewing the life of friendship… Equestria is in your eternal gratitude Blu, and the birds of Rio. We could never have done it without you."

Blu smiled and would have replied but his eyes fell upon the sky. The hole hadn't cleared up, and Rio still continued to descend upon Equestria. The ground shook and a loud growl echoed from the horizon.

"NO!" he slammed his wing on the ground. "It's not possible."

Celestia, the ponies, and the birds all drew their attention to the horizon and spotted a rapidly moving dark cloud rushing straight towards them. It moved like a snake, striking at everything it could and laughed as it destroyed whatever it touched.

"It's Nightmare!" Shining Armour announced. "That must be his true form, the form leftover from when he and Celestia clashed a thousand years ago. He can't hide it anymore, so he is going to destroy everything."

Shining Armour searched the area and slammed his hoof against the ground.

"There is no way we can stop him… there is nothing we can do. The Crystal Heart needs time to recharge, and the elements have been used twice, and I don't have enough power to perform my protection spell."

_Blu!_

Blu shifted his attention and saw Marco smiling at him. He peered off at the gathering darkness and nodded his head.

_You can end this. But it'll cost you everything. Do you have what it takes to be a hero?_

Blu nodded his head.

_Then the time has come. Fly at the dark king, and I will do the rest._

Blu sighed and peered at his family, but especially Rico and Rose.

"Rico, I'm sorry I haven't given you a chance, but I would love to see you marry my daughter. Take care of her, and take care of her mother since I won't be able to do it any longer. Remember though, you don't want to see Jewel's bad side. She'll claw your eyes out."

Blu walked over to his wife and planted a kiss on her beak, before turning and heading into the sky with all the speed he could muster. He never looked back knowing that if he did, his courage would disappear and everyone would lose their life to the hands of Nightmare, the dark king, otherwise known as Sombra.

"Here I go," Blu announced, smiling. "I give my life for my family in the form of true love. Let the evil dispel as I fade away."

_Chaos, Order, two forces which must never come together, let them meet now._

A loud explosion of power erupted through the air followed by colourful beams of pure light. It cut through the darkness destroying every last shred of the destructive forces of darkness. The city of Rio and the hole in the sky started to shrink until it faded off into nothingness, and the destiny star faded from sight. A plan which had been set into motion one thousand years ago officially came to an end.

Jewel watched as the explosion formed by the love of her life subsided and found no sign of Blu anywhere, except for a few blue feathers falling to the ground.

"Where is he?" Jewel asked turning to Celestia.

"He's gone," Celestia sighed, "As a filly I once heard a prophecy that foretold that to stop a great darkness, one would have to give his own life in order to save the lives of a group. In the selfless act, the one who sacrificed himself would achieve a great power, and I believe that is what happened here. He gave his life for our, but I believe his spirit will live on in all things that hold the value of true love. Even though his body has been destroyed, Blu in turn has become the seventh element of harmony, that which we shall call the element of love."

Jewel fell to her knees and tried to sob but found her tears wouldn't fall. She saw Blu out of the corner of her eyes.

"Jewel," he said to her, "I'm okay."

Jewel jumped to her talons and turned to him but found he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Somehow though, her heart told her that he must have been, if only for that one split second to let her know he was in fact okay. She formed a smile, though her heart broke to do so, and she nodded her head.

"Blu, I am so proud of you." She mentioned. "I love you now, and I'll love you forever."

_Likewise._

Jewel felt at peace as she heard the word whisper in her mind, and she knew that that must have been Blu responding to her. Even though she couldn't see him, he must have been watching out for her.

"Twilight Sparkle, have you learned anything about friendship today?" Celestia asked.

"Yes, Princess," Twilight nodded. "I learned that it doesn't matter who you are, whether your different than us in one way shape or form, or if your from a different place, we all have the power to show off our friendship. You should take the time to listen to them, because you never know they might just come up with a way of surprising you. Even the tiniest creature could have a huge heart, and that is something that everyone should take the time to learn."

"A valuable lesson," Celestia smiled. "I think it is time we leave here. The Crystal Empire should be allowed to exist and the citizens should begin to rebuild their lives. The evil of King Sombra has come to an end, all because of a spix macaw."


	48. Chapter 47: Homeward Bound

_**Chapter 47:**_

_**Homeward Bound:**_

Jewel sat in silence for almost a week. Despite the constant attention from the ponies and her friends, she didn't feel much like talking to anyone, nor did she care to answer any of their questions or concerns. Her heart felt grim, and lifeless, and even as she placed a wing over her heart, she couldn't feel the warmth it once gave off, the beating of her most important organ seemed almost silent and non-existent. Even though the group had scored a victory over Nightmare, and somehow managed to destroy him, saving both Equestria and Earth, the loss of Blu weighed a heavy burden upon her heart. So instead of crying, she just sat there, staring out in the direction where the Crystal Empire rested, and the place where Blu gave his final moments.

"Princess!"

Jewel jumped, startled as she heard a sharp voice call out from the doorway, as a guard entered into the large throne room of Canterlot Castle. Jewel watched as Celestia stood up to her full height, eyeing the lone Pegasus dressed in bright golden armour. He bowed his head low and gave off his report, a report which Jewel listened to with the utmost of interest, and hope, though deep down she knew she was only being a fool and that there wouldn't be good news.

"What is it, Captain?" Celestia asked. "Has there been any news?"

"It is with great pride that I report to you your highness," the guard beamed. "Prince Shining Armour and Princess Cadance have both restored the Crystal Empire to its former glory. The strange world in the sky has also disappeared and returned to wherever it came from. I must confess that I feel that the damages Nightmare inflicted are gone forever, even now there is-"

"Not all of it," Celesita sighed, peering at Jewel from the corner of her eye. She shook her head. "Some forms of destruction can never be healed and they will stick with you forever. Just look at our heartbroken friends who mourn the loss of their comrade who gave everything in the final battle."

The guard nodded and sighed. He took his helmet off and lowered it to his heart. His eyes narrowed as he cleared his throat.

"I would also like to report that all we found were just a couple of feathers which quickly crumbled into dust. It is with a heavy burden that I must request we call off the search for Blu. No one could survive a week in the arctic north without food, water, or injured. I'm afraid we must accept the reality, and realize there is very little hope in finding anything else from the spix's macaw."

"Not just yet, Captain." Celestia said. "Give it two more days of searching, if there is no trace of the macaw, then I will assign you to a new task, I wish for you to find a way to get these birds back to their own world. As much as I would like them to stay, and as much as they have proven themselves as allies, this is not their world."

The guard nodded.

"It shall be done, your majesty."

Jewel sighed as she watched the guard leave the room. She lowered her head and tried to avoid staring out at the horizon. She would have preferred if they hadn't found something belonging to Blu. That way, his fate would have been a mystery to her. Now she needed to face the harsh reality that he wasn't coming home.

"Goodbye, Lovehawk," she sighed. "Goodbye…"

"Jewel," Celestia spoke in a demanding tone, "would you come with me for a moment, we need to talk."

# # #

Celestia lured Jewel to a long hallway, and proceeded downwards as she spoke. The ancient white alicorn let her wings spread as she addressed the macaw.

"Jewel, it has been brought to my attention that before all of this happened, Rico and your daughter Rose were going to be married. I also must say that Rose has the look of an expecting mare."

Jewel shook her head.

"That's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible." Celestia admitted. "Rose will soon be a mother, but I have a thought… why don't we do a wedding?"

"A wedding?" Jewel arched a curious eyebrow, her voice shaky. "But why?"

"It would honour Blu as he is now, the element of true love. And it would give Rico and Rose started on the right hoof."

Jewel nodded.

"I suppose we could do that," she sighed. "Even if it isn't as good as having Blu by my side."

"He'll always be by your side," Celestia admitted. "It may not be the same as before, but he exists in you, and he exists in all of us."

Jewel turned her head and blinked as the meaning of Celestia's words rung through her mind. Did the white alicorn know about Blu whispering in her ear, shortly after the defeat of Nightmare?

"Y-Y-You know?" Jewel gasped.

"Yes," Celestia nodded. "I know everything."

# # #

A few days past by quickly, and the search for Blu came to a halt, despite that, Celestia remained determined to hold a wedding in celebration of Blu's heroic act and to give Rico and Rose a decent start in their new lives. Jewel seated herself on the far side of the room, and kept her head low, she still couldn't shed any tears, even on an occasion such as this. She simply waited, to see her daughter walk down the aisle of Canterlot's most luxurious great hall.

Before long the wedding music started to play, and Rose proceeded down the runway. She swallowed hard as she stared right at the small gathering of creatures, every one of her friends stood in attendance. Rafael, her mother, Buster, Kinski, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and even Marigold who now held onto Kinski's wing. She nodded her head and peered back to the bird and the Prinesses who waited for them at the end of the aisle. Celestia, and Luna, each held a cheerful smile on their faces, neither of them spoke a word however until she reached them.

"Filly, and Gentlecolts, and the birds who have saved us all. We are gathered here today, to witness the union of Rose, and her mate Rico as they are joined in holy matrimony. The power of their love is fuelled by Blu, the spix macaw who in turn has become the symbol of true love, through his actions, I now am honoured to bestow his wishes upon this young couple. Rose, do you take Rico as your mate, to love him as Blu would want you too, to love him in sickness and in health for the rest of your life and forsaking any others?"

"Yes," Rose nodded her head.

"Rico, the same question goes to you, would you honour Blu, and take Rose as your mate, to love and to honour for the rest of your life, forsaking all others."

Rico didn't respond right away, he shifted his attention away from Rose and the Princesses and peered at the far side of the room where something captured his eye but for a second only. He saw Angelina, the love of his life who had been killed by Marco so long ago, she nodded her head and smiled before vanishing from sight.

"Yes," Rico admitted.

"It is with great honour that we pronounce you as rulers of the sun and moon, to be mates. Rico, Rose, congratulations."

As Rico and Rose leaned in to seal the deal with a kiss, a blinding white light appeared at the far end of the great hallway. It hummed and glowed drawing all the birds attentions almost immediately.

"What is that?" Jewel asked.

"It's the doorway home," Celestia explained. "It is time for you to leave us, but know this, you have earned our friendship, and should you ever find your way back to us, we would be grateful if you looked us up."

Twilight and the rest of her friends all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Good bye" Twilight and her friends said in unison.

The bright light began to envelop the group of birds who found themselves lifting off the ground, and before long the world of Equestria vanished.

Jewel groaned as she opened her eyes for the first time and found herself sitting back in her nest. A beautiful summer day and the first few golden rays of sunlight seeped into the hollow toasting her feathers. She let out a smile and rustled the stiffness from her feathers.

"Good morning, Lovehawk," She purred, only to find that she received no response. "Blu? Are you awake?"

She rolled over to face her mate, but found he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Her eyes lowered as she drifted back to sleep.

"He's probably just getting breakfast," she mused. "He always was the most generous bird I have ever known. Soon he'll wake me up and we'll all be eating some mangoes, or passion fruit, or berries, or something that he thinks would be a nice start to the day."

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

"Jewel…"

"Jewel…"

"Jewel…"

Jewel found herself standing in the bright white void of an empty world, before her stood the love of her life, the handsome spix's macaw she'd fallen for. She formed a smile and took a few steps forward.

"Blu? Where are we?" She asked.

"Jewel," he said, "I don't know if you can here me, but I'm talking to you, I just wanted to let you know that there are no goodbyes, there is only love, Jewel… there is only love."

Jewel charged forward and wrapped her wings around Blu's waste. She could feel her tears falling and landing upon his cerulean feathers. His words stung her like a sword, but they held a truth to them and she couldn't deny it.

"There is only love," he repeated again. "There is only love."

Jewel watched as the world vanished, and everything in her heart lurched to life. She felt at peace, and knew that everything was perfect.


End file.
